Ice Age Journeys: Two Roads, One Destination v2
by Xion the Author
Summary: In a miserable stroke of fate, the herd is separated by a catastrophic disaster! They must now find their way back together through once again another arduous journey. And what will change to them and the people they meet? Will our sub-zero heroes find their way home -even when their past is chasing after them? Set between Ice Age 3 and 4. Entirely different from v1.
1. Melon Cakes and Natural Disasters

**Xion the Author: Chapter 1, completely rewritten to keep up with a third-person point of view rather than an omniscient point of view (which I think the former is better). Also fixed up some grammar issues and dramatically rewrote for quality control. Commence Two Roads, One Destination two-point-oh (2.0)**

**You are reading the completely revised version of Two Roads, One Destination. For a bit history, this is a revision of my first ever fanfic (and first ever story) in which I actually was able to complete. You'd probably think that its not like an artist to go back to a previous work, but this holds much sentimental value to me. Also, I want to rewrite into a version that isn't AU, and want it to go back to the original flow of movie story. It is set between Ice Age 3 and 4 without changing anything much about the characters but still teaches a moral.  
**

**At first, I wanted to just update the old story chapter by chapter and extend it by one from the extra output, but instead I thought maybe it would be better to treat it like a new story - an old story that's just retold in a different (and better) way. Also, I get to maintain the original.  
**

**Without further ado, please enjoy. Also, R&R. :)  
**

**Two Roads, One Destination**

* * *

_**Chapter I. Melon Cakes and Natural Disasters**_

Out in the snowy field of ice and sleet, a strange squirrel-rat hybrid can seen sniffing and scratching at the ground. Scrat, as his uncanny name dictates the nickname of his breed, is off once again in his endless quest to find his beloved acorn. He's been going nuts looking for his nut. He remembered it being left back in the world under the ice, so he's looking for another entrance down there.

Right now it was probably with the wretched Scratte. He irked at the thought of her.

Scrat digs… yet no entrance, so he goes to another area. He digs and hits a hard surface – no entrance once again and the cycle continues. He has been perseverant in his endless search. Not a stone left unturned. Not a night had past in his sleep, for not an hour he wasted to be reunited with his beloved. His eye bags have eye bags. As every minute passed, fatigue slowly crept up on him. He is continually tiring himself with only disappointment at every turn.

At the desolate field of ice and snow, the winter wind blew against him, chilling his fur and numbing his senses. He collapses to the ground - almost falling asleep of exhaustion. But, at the flicker of sunlight at a distance, he cracks up (almost literally) an idea when he saw – A ROCK.

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOUUU!"

A special gathering of different animals were singing and shouting. The scene was indulged in a joyous muse. At the feet of a baby mammoth was half a watermelon with 6 lighted twigs set on top. Today was Peaches' 6th birthday. Almost everyone was wearing leaf-coned hats, from small ones specifically for possums to medium ones for saber-toothed tigers or even for sloths.

Everyone was having a blast. Peaches was even getting better at blowing with her trunk, and her tusks grew a few inches quite smoothly as a female mammoth's should. She looked more like her mother with each passing day.

"Hey Ellie!" shouted Crash and Eddie in cheerful unison, "How'd you like the hats we made?"

"I love it!" chortled Ellie, still trying to convince his husband to wear one too. "Manny, why won't wear one too?"

"Because, I look too silly wearing one," he replied quite frankly.

"Oh come on. It's our daughter's birthday. I mean, look!" she said while pointing at Diego and Sid. "_They're_ wearing it."

"Yeah, and now Diego isn't moving so he won't topple it off, and Sid looks more like an idiot than he already is," replied Manny, still insisting that he wouldn't.

"Come on big guy!" Crash encouraged, handing over a giant hat with Eddie. "It's just _this_ once!"

"Yeah!" said Eddie agreeing with him as they carried the hat which was a little heavy for them. "Well, maybe on the following birthdays too, but don't mind what everyone thinks and just do it for your daughter."

"How many times do I have to tell you guys that I _won't_ be wearing it?" Manny insisted.

Then suddenly, a cute ball of fur came up. "Daddy?" asked Peaches from behind.

"Woah!" Manny let out while hastily grabbing the hat and putting it on his head as he turned. "What is it, Sweetie?

"Can I _please _go play with the other kids?" Peaches asked, putting on display her cute beady eyes.

"Uhhhh… sure, just stay close, okay honey?" Manny answered.

"Okay!" Peaches cheered happily. "Love you, papa!"

After she left, Manny sighed out of relief. He glanced back to see Ellie staring at him, with the twins dangling down her tusks with their arms crossed as the entire three were smirked.

"Okay okay, fine, you guys win," Manny said in defeat. "But just this once, and probably 'till her… uhhh… eight birthday."

* * *

"I like the cake you got," said Sid to Diego as he pleasurably walked to him. Sid was in quite a festive mood, wearing a more fashionably-designed hat he made for himself.

"Uhh, yeah, nice touch with the… lighted twigs…" he replied, still trying to balance the hat on his head.

"That's right! I am after all–" Sid stood up in a somewhat proud way. "-Lord of the Flames!"

Diego chuckled, "Hah! You haven't called yourself that in ages! Last time I remember you did, you got yourself almost sacrificed by some insane sloths!"

"Ahahahaha… yeah…" Sid said, trying not to remember. "Funny how fast time passes when you're with a family."

"Yeah, I guess…" Diego replied first with a sullen tone before rising with a more enthusiastic voice to cover it. "These _really are_the good times. Can't get any better than this!"

"'I guess...?', '_These_ _really are the good times_'?" Sid repeated his previous statements in the same tone, marking that he noticed the way he said it. "What does that supposed to mean?" asked Sid.

Caught red-handed, Diego sighed with an answer. "Come on, Sid," He replied while finally just removing the annoying hat on his head. "We've all had our own families for once. They just - didn't work out in the end…"

Sid looking at Diego, felt compelled to agree with him. "Yeah… I still can't believe my family left me there while I was asleep. It's still funny every time I remember. When you go that far in reminiscing stuff, you can't help remembering that time we met and the mess we had with Pinky.

"Yeah, that was one heck of a mess," the sabertooth said in distinct agreement.

"You've had pack issues. I had sloth issues. Even Manny – back with those cave drawings…" Drawn in recollection, Sid stopped himself as he realized there was something he'd never asked Diego before.

"Hey, Diego," Sid said abruptly.

"What is it pal?" replied Diego while looking at the cold, white snow.

"I know this is just plain bothersome but…" Sid hesitated a bit, but after so long just went with trusting Diego won't maul him for asking. "How come you've never told much about yourself before?"

"What exactly should I talk else about?" asked Diego finally glancing towards Sid. "I'm a predator. My stories aren't really that friendly."

"You know, about how you're life was before you had _us_?" the sloth clarified, "Before your bloodthirsty quest for revenge with that Soto guy."

That question made Diego quiver for a moment, especially after hearing his ex-pack leader's name. In a cold reprise, he answered: "Do I need to?"

"Well no, but come on! We're a family, it's okay to tell us!" Sid said, being the glue that he is that sticked everyone together. "Were you always with that old pack of yours before?"

No one had ever asked Diego this before. No one seemed to bother, so he was never prepared to answer such a question. "Well, not really. I guess it was the same thing everyone went thorugh. I had an even older pack but I ended being alone. Found it hard to hunt till I met Soto and his pack. So to survive, I pledged my loyalty to him."

Sid got closer and sat on a nearby fallen tree trunk. "Tell me more about this, old family of yours"

Diego sighed. "Well... my dad was a great hunter. He wasn't pack alpha, but he was a great father. But he died from a stampede during a hunting trip back when I was still a cub."

Sid was shocked and was flooded with a sudden mix of emotions, instantly feeling anxious and regretful that he tried to pry. Even with everyone else at the party were laughing and enjoying themselves, Diego continued on.

"So it was just me, my mom…" Diego felt a block of wood was caught in his throat and he difficultly swallowed it, "...and my sister."

"Woah woah woah," Sid leaned over getting interested. "You have a sister?"

"Well… '_had'. _I-It's kinda complicated."

"Come on! Tell us!" shouted the twins, finally revealing their presence above them perched on the tree branches.

"Woah, how long have you guys been up there?" Sid asked.

"From the beginning," Diego confirmed.

"Wait-" Crash muttered, he and his twin looking at each other. "You knew all along?"

"Of course. I'm a naturally built predator; I can smell you a dozen of feet away." Diego explained, almost arrogantly.

"Dang…" Eddie said a bit impressed as both the twins went down the tree to join their company. "But that didn't bother you?"

"Seeing as Sid could never shut his mouth even to save his own skin, might as well tell everyone myself than just him." Diego smirked towards Sid and the sloth just rolled his eyes. "So, as I was saying. Yes, I do have a sister. But, unfortunately, something happened." Diego paused here for a bit, but found the will to go on.

"_I was young. My mother brought me and my sister to this… forest. There were plants there everywhere. I remembered there wasn't much snow there, and there were birds and flowers and trees and pretty much every plant you could think of, other than those of course in the Jungle of Misery back in Dinoland."_

_We were catching fish at a river there too, having a great time! It's one of my fondest childhood memories. But, while we were playing, a piece of driftwood came out of nowhere. It pushed my sister's little body, carrying her farther away from the riverbank. I panicked. I didn't think I could do anything, so I ran to my mother as quick as I could. I went back with her but she told me to wait for her there. B-but then–"_

"She… didn't come back, did she…?" Sid said in a saddened tone.

"Yeah, I sat there for hours, so I ended up looking for them myself. Thought I could do it, but I got lost along the way. And, well, long story short I grew up half my childhood alone and soon found myself in Soto's pack."

Sid didn't know what to say. This was the first time Diego ever told them about himself. He tried saying something but Diego interrupted with something _he_ had to say.

"I know you can't keep even your own secrets, but you'd better not tell Manny about this. If you did, that guy wouldn't let me live without mentioning it from time to time, and I hope you wouldn't do that as well. I don't need a reminder of how miserable my life was.

"The same thing goes to you guys," turning his attention at Crash and Eddie. "And don't think of even telling Ellie. If she knew about this, I get the feeling Manny will know about it too."

Sid and the twins couldn't do anything else but nod. The sloth was compelled to say at least something to comfort his friend. But all he could mutter was his name.

"Diego…"

"I know. I upset you guys with a horrible story." The sabertooth said. "But don't worry. Things have really brightened up with everyone around, so don't sweat it and go back to enjoying yourselves."

The three looked at each other. Knowing there's nothing they could ever really say, they went up and walked away. Diego's let out a deep breath. He ended up lowering his head, making the leaf-fashioned party hat tumble down his head. He didn't want to bother picking it up and putting it back in place. He rested his head down on his paws, and tried not to even think about it anymore.

* * *

Scrat didn't know what he was doing wrong. Even after a day of pushing it and jumping down on it, the earth didn't crack like it always did with everything he's done. He was hoping it might crack the earth open and make an entrance to Dinoland for him. He can almost see it now: gloriously taking that nut from the evil Scratte. Hugging it, Dancing with it, and totally not **eating** it.

He had already pushed half-way the size of it. And it was about 12 inches long and a hundred times heavier than him. He kept on thinking that maybe just a little bit more and the earth would split right open. He laughs hysterically while frantically jumping on it. He had been jumping on it for over a day.

But his ears flickered as he heard behind something like a tornado approaching. He turned to see something worse; a white cascade of gusty winds and blowing snow. Over the plains, he saw a blizzard coming right towards him. He screams! He jumps on the rock faster and faster before it comes near him. He jumps and jumps and jumps until… well… the blizzard inevitably reached him.

The sudden blizzard blinds everything in view. But if you'd look a lot closer you would see him still holding on to that tall rock. He keeps a firm grip on the rough edges, keeping his claws on it with no sign of giving up.

* * *

Meanwhile, Manny and the herd are running to a nearby cave to take refuge from the snowstorm. By the time they were inside, everyone was trying to shake off the excess snow in their fur.

"Okay. Is everyone here?" Manny asked, scanning the entire cave.

"Let's see. There are 7 people in our herd. Manny, Ellie, Peaches, Diego, Crash or Eddie, Crash or Eddie" Sid sid while walking around pointing at them. He accounted each individual with a finger as he counted. "W-wait! That's just 6 people!"

Manny slapped his forehead. "Uhhh... Sid."

"Yes Manny?" glanced Sid.

"You forgot to count yourself," he dictated.

Sid froze to that comment. "Whoops… ahaha…" he mutters, feeling more stupid as usual and makes a fire with the twigs and leaves inside.

"So anyways, everyone is here, right?" Manny said with relief. "At least we're all safe. So I guess we're stuck here until the blizzard ends" Manny rests at the mouth of the cave, hoping the storm would end soon. He stares at the mesmerizing cascade of sleet and ice.

However, while watching, he could see a shade that isn't moving like the snow and the wind. "H-hey… I think I see someone out there," the bull said, pointing at a peculiar silhouette shape in the distance.

Ellie walks towards him, keeping Peaches away from the mouth as possible. He eyes out to confirm whether or not it's true. "I think I do too!" she shouted as everyone went and checked. They could see something perhaps lying down on the snow. "And it doesn't look like he'll be helping himself any time soon. It's dangerous out there!" shouted Ellie trying to make her voice louder than the gusts.

"I'll go!" shouted Manny willingly "You and the others stay here till I come back."

"Daddy!" said Peaches. Manny looks back to see her daughter. "Please, be careful."

"I will, sweetie," He says as he picks her up and kisses her before going outside.

"I'm going after him," Diego cut in. "He might need some help" And goes outside to find Manny.

"Wait!" Sid ran after in sluggish pursuit "I'm coming too!"

"_No_, Sid. You'll just get in the way. We can take care of this." Diego said, and Sid stopped in his tracks. "We'll be back before you know it."

"Am I really that helpless...?" the sloth ruminated, going back with a saddened repose.

Leaving everyone else behind, Diego goes out into the raging and freezing blizzard. After a few strides through the snow and bone chilling gusts, he reaches his way towards Manny.

"What are doing out here?" Manny shouted at Diego loud enough to be heard from the blizzard. "I thought I told you guys to stay put!"

"I'm here to help! I'm not one who follows orders _precisely_, remember?" shouted Diego out loud as well. "Where do you think he is?"

"Uuhh..." Manny looked around through his pure white surrounding. Finally, he sees the distant shadow. "Wait! I think I see him over there!"

The two of them made their way to him. It was hard since the blizzard was blowing from the side. After a few short steps, they finally made it to him. Trying to make out things out from the snow and heavy winds, they could see he was canine in shape. He was unconscious, so Manny picked him up and carried him on his tusks. But as they tried to make their way back**-**

* * *

Scrat got tired of just holding on. He clawed his arms up, inch by inch. With the rest of his body resting on the ground, he tried push the rock down as much as he could.

He pushed it down as hard as he could, squeeling as he did. Finally, it budged, sinking down a bit. When the sound of cracks started becoming apparent, Scrat made a maniacal victory laugh. He knew got his wish. Soon enough, the cracks collected around him and he fell downwards whilst laughing.

* * *

The cracks followed through the ground, gradually becoming bigger and bigger. As it came across Manny, Diego, and the unknown person, the tiger's ears flickered as he heard the oddly familiar sound.

"Step back!" Diego shouted, putting his paws on Manny's lifted hoof. Soon they both heard the loud cracking sound from the ghostly wails of the gusts and zephyrs. The two looked down to see a crack right across them before realizing what the slowly increasing glow of orange was. A torrent of lava suddenly came out of the crevices in the ground.

"Woah!" Diego yelped backwards "Why is it that these things inconveniently keep happening?"

More lava gushed out from around them, and the way forward was blocked. "Run!" Manny and Diego sprinted away as they could. Soon, fountains of lava was spewing out everywhere. It rose up the sky to about ten meters high. The blizzard's cold quickly made short work of the lava, quickly freezing it and turning it into stone.

From the cave, Ellie could also the orange glow through the blizzard. "Guys!" Ellie shouted and trumpeted her horn. Peaches hid behind her while staring at it along with the others. The cracks continued to form in front of them and across, creating even more geysers of lava. Then the ground gave in, making the geysers of magma collect into one giant fountain.

As if an earthquake shook, the cracks grew into large crevices that followed kilometers away into the mountains. No one could see it happen as they were blinded from the snow storm. All they could see was white and orange.

Manny and Diego took cover to a nearby boulder stuck in the ground that covered against the rushing snow. All they could do now was wait for the blizzard to stop.

And after a while, shorter than they expected, they got what they hoped for. The storm finally ceased. The duo came up from the boulder to widen their eyes in disbelief. A large wall of hardened lava blocked they way back, surrounding them like a fortress. The herd had suddenly separated.

"Peaches, stay here. I'll be right back," Ellie told her. "Can you guys take care of her for a while?"

"You can count on us, sis'!" the twins saluted as the cow made haste towards sudden amalgamation of the lava.

"Guys!" Ellie, from the other side shouted out to them. "Guys, are you there!"

"We're fine!" Manny trumpted back.

"Oh thank goodness!" Ellie let out a sigh of relief.

Manny let down their found companion and grabbed a nearby tree, using his massive strength to pluck it from its roots. He swung it around with his trunk and hit the wall. But it barely budged. Manny kept trying to slam it on the wall, but not a crack or scratch would form.

Diego noticed the wood on the tree began to turn into charcoal. "Looks like the wall is still hot! Try not to get too close to it!" he warned to the others.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked.

"Ellie! Just stay over there. We'll find a way around it!" shouted Manny.

"Please be careful! We'll be fine, so no need to worry about us! Just worry about yourselves!" she cried out.

"We will! Tell Peaches I'll be back soon!"

"I will!" After saying their goodbyes, Ellie walked back to the cave. But to her horror, all she finds was a dead fire stacked with burnt twigs and charred stones. Peaches and the others were gone.

* * *

While Ellie and Manny were shouting at each other, Peaches was inside the cave waiting for them with her three uncles.

Peaches made a soft sigh, wanting to go to her parents. Noticing this, Sid tried to cheer her up before she would start to cry.

"Don't worry princess. I'm sure they'll be just fine." Sid reassured.

"You think so Unca' Sid?" she asked. Sid nodded. They all suddenly heard a weird crashing sound behind the cave.

"W-woah!" Eddie blurted. "Hey, what was that?"

"I dunno… but let's go check it out!" said Crash excitedly.

"W-wait you guys!" interrupted Sid "Ellie told us to stay put!"

"And _you're_ gonna listen to her?" chuckled Crash. "Come on! Maybe we could even find some treasure!"

Another wild crashing sound echoed through the cave."I don't know guys." Peaches said cautiously. "It might be dangerous."

"That's okay!" said Eddie "We're ready for danger! Right, Crash?"

"Right!" And the boys did their secret handshake.

"Well, it is _inside_ this cave. And she didn't tell us _not_ to go in further, so what harm could it do?" said Sid cheerfully.

"Alright," agreed Peaches. "I guess it wouldn't hurt..."

So eventually, they ventured forth into the cave with Crash and Eddie leading the way, unknowing of what perilous journey they were about to overcome...

* * *

**Xion the Author: Going back to this, I find myself amused by my old childish self. This plot is basically very abrupt, and the writing style complements the lousy writing. I actually find it quite humorous. I can see why people prefer my latter works, as they more professionally written. If the following chapters are not stated to be completely rewritten (which you'd actually notice with the grammar and erros), please forgive me. I only did this in my past time. **


	2. The Wolf That Forgot

**Xion the Author: Chapter 2 Revision. At this stage of editing, I've decided to actually change a lot in the story. I've also decided to add a few very vital scenes to explain closer Nia and Ryan's story, and also to remove confusions and add depth to the story.**

**I've also decided, to actually change the plot itself. I'll keep in the notes any of the original concepts as note for those who read this story before. I have decided to remove a lot of things to keep flexibility with the upcoming Ice Age 4. A lot of what I have planned will be revealed further into the latter chapters.**

* * *

_**Chapter II. The Wolf That Forgot**_

Scrat was falling through a dark abyss, latched onto the rock he used to make the hole in the first place. From excessive happiness, he continued to laugh fervently – almost insanely. But soon, color wrapped around him, revealing the pre-prehistoric world around him. From the large waterfalls and gigantic biological travesties, to the large distance between him and the ground; the squirrel ceased his celebration of hilarity and immediately replacing it with screams of despair.

He keeps on falling…

Falling and screaming…

Screaming and falling…

He passed by a flock of unsuspecting pterodactyls flying in the air. They look down to see him continue plummeting further down the under-earth.

And he continues falling…

Screaming and falling…

Falling and screaming…

Until finally, he crashes down into the ground. The smoke dust clears out to reveal a hollow shape of his body in the ground with his arms and legs spread out. He reaches his shaking arm up, anchoring it on level ground to pull himself out of the hole that he made. Scrat moans in pain as he rubs his aching head.

He quickly recovers, however, after seeing the enlightened situation he's in. He shakes his head to regain composure and pulls himself out from the whole and unto the dirt. His nose quickly goes into action, sniffing around in search of familiar scents. One in particular would be Scratte's, the saber-toothed _female_ flying squirrel, who stole his acorn away from him. Although to be honest he _did_ lose it due to carelessness, the acorn would most definitely be in her possession – something he would never stand for.

He crawls over lumps of dirt and rocks, making way through tall grass and fungi, and avoiding traffic of passing giant stepping dinosaurs without even noticing them, Scrat was intensely focuses in his search.

* * *

"Peaches! Crash! Eddie! Sid! Where are you?" Ellie, who had just recently found out about their absence, calls out.

Ellie goes outside to look for tracks. "Maybe they could have gone playing somewhere. If that were the case, they couldn't have gone far – especially with Sid around."

The mammoth decides to go and look around. She asks around and looks through every corner. But every one she asks tells her that they haven't seen her and are having their own problems as well.

"Lori!" she calls out as she spots her friend from afar.

"Oh! Ellie, I'm glad your safe." a tall red-feathered Gastornis. "Where's your family?"

"Manny and Diego are at the other side, but Peaches was just with me until she disappeared with Sid and my brothers. Have you seen them?" she asked.

"Well, with my own kids bustling about and disappearing on their after the earthquake, I haven't really kept my eye out, but I think I might have seen them if they passed by."

Ellie sighed. "So you really haven't seen them?" Ellie asked. Lori shakes her head and runs off to look for her other children. Everyone on this side of the wall is also dealing with their own problems.

"Grampa, come on! The earthquake is gone, there won't be any lava coming out from here."

"You'll get a cold out there!" said a group of young hedgehogs in their burrow.

"I am not going back into that hellhole! If I lived in that hole, I'm definitely gonna **die** in that hole!" The hedgehog children keep trying to persuade him to no avail.

Other animals in the village are having their own family to worry about. Ellie, being the caring soul she is, wants to reach out and help. But seeing as she also her own needs to tend to, she could not spare a moment.

After searching around and daylight thinning, Ellie decided to head back to where she started "Maybe they went back to the cave…"

But when she arrived, no one was there to be found. Ellie, seeing that the sun was setting, began to worry frantically. But being a strong woman, she did not find the time to shed a tear and panic.

Even if she was alone.

"Stay calm, Ellie. You'll find them," she reassured herself.

Then her ears pick up an odd sound, something of a howling coming from the cave. Strong gusts seem to be coming from _inside the cave_. Curious of what it was, she goes in to inspect it. Following her ears, she soon comes upon a large entrance hidden within the dark corner of the cave. But as she was about to step inside, a voice came out to greet her.

"Ho' there friend!"

* * *

While Ellie was searching frantically for her daughter and the others, Manny and Diego were traveling. The wall had stretched further across the plains than they thought. And they weren't the only victims of the sudden rupture. Everyone from the village was in a state of panic. They wanted to help, but they had their own problems just the same. Diego tried asking around how far the wall had gone, but no one knew the answer. They were all attending to their own problems.

Choosing to help themselves instead, they made their way up a tall rocky hill to look over the plains and survey the closest exit.

Time passed by, and the sun began to kiss the horizon in a blazing orange.

"Looks like it's getting kinda late," said Diego as he watched the sunset form red beams of light across the sky, and on the other side was the dark blue color of night. "We should probably find a good place to rest."

"…I guess we should. Let's go first thing in the morning." Manny replied. "Maybe then this guy might wake up, and we could figure out what we're gonna do with him."

Manny was still carrying the canine they just saved. He looked like he collapsed of fatigue, and the storm just made things worse for him. From inspection, they could tell he was a saber-toothed wolf roughly just the same size as Diego, although a bit leaner. He had prominent gray fur with an undertone of beige from his neck towards his belly. He had a peculiar scar across his face, and he looked like he got hit by a boulder with all the dirt on his fur.

But although they didn't know him, they couldn't leave a person in that kind of condition. They weren't the kind to abandon someone in need of help. So, they took him along with them out of pity. To Manny however, he still found him all but troublesome.

They made camp at a clear spot near the mountain. The two felt a sense of nostalgia as they approached the site. They couldn't make a fire to keep them warmer at night. Neither of them knew how. Only their friend Sid did. A flickering light would even help them see.

Night had just begun. They laid the wolf down nearby and they laid down the ground as well. The cool night brought about a need for warmth, and the two went as close as they possible could without bothering to be embarrassed. Regardless for their need to share body warmth, one could only keep as near as a meter away.

At the dark of the night however, Diego couldn't shake off a feeling of nostalgia. It's as if he's been at this exact spot before. A distant memory that furthered away from migration; the tiger found himself in an animal path he once made and yet do not remember making it.

Disturbed by the thought and familiarity, he could not help get up and look around. The snow was exactly what snow looked like every day of their lives. There was nothing special to be found in that blanket of white snow. He inspected even the rocks, the stones littered around around the camp and near the grass.

And then it finally hit him. The biggest place he didn't bother checking first: the wall of stone beside where they made their camp. The peculiar sight was all he needed to completely recollect.

"Hey Manny," Diego called out while looking at the drawing. "You still up?"

"Urrrghh… just because I can easily carry an unconscious animal for the entire day doesn't mean I don't get tired," Manny complained. "This better be important."

"How important do you think this is?" Diego points with his head the drawing on the wall.

Manny wipes his eyes with his trunk, still a bit half-asleep. After a few seconds, he sees the drawing. "Hey now, will you look at that."

It was a poor drawing of a sloth etched on the wall. It's weathered and old, making it slightly less visible. And it didn't help at the dark of the night. It was the same one Sid made back then when they had Pinky.

"This was just the place Sid first found out how to make a fire," Diego said. "Which kind makes me wish he was here to make one."

"And the same place where Pinky took his first steps," Manny added in a delighted tone. "Really brings us back, huh partner?"

"It sure does," While the two were off reminiscing, Diego then noticed the wolf rumbling in the corner. "Hey, Manny, I think he's up!"

"Uuuuughhh…." the wolf moaned. The guys moved up to him to see if he's okay. "W-wha… who…? H-huh?"

"Easy, friend. You just woke out of a blizzard, just so you'd know," Diego explained to him, although the wolf might not have understood being his head was throbbing with pain.

The half-conscious wolf tried standing up, but when he did could not keep his legs straight and immediately tumbled out of balance. Manny quickly reached out his trunk to help him.

"Woah, like we said. Just take it slow." The mammoth helped him keep his balance straight until he could finally stand on all four feet.

"Whe-where is this place?"

"This is… home? I take it you're not from around here?" Diego asked.

The wolf muttered, as if not understanding the question. "I-I… uh…"

"My name is Manfred and this here is Diego," he introduced. "We found you in the middle of a blizzard, so we went off to save you. But then, suddenly, this came out."

Manfred pointed at the wall of lava that was over three times taller than him. "For some reason, this popped out of the earth. Right after we found you, we were separated from the rest of our herd. Right now, we're trying to look for another way around it. We could've just leave you, so we sort of took you along with us"

"Th-thank you for all your help…" said the mysterious canine as he started to walk away.

"Wha- hey! Where you going!" Manny shouted.

Diego chased right after him, seeing as he was trudging painfully. "Just stay down and get some rest first-"

As soon as Diego placed his paw on his shoulder, the wolf immediately snapped and swiped it away. "Don't get in my way!" he shouted surprisingly. Diego drew his paw back in surprise. The stranger was painted with a cold face, obviously stricken with surprise as well.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean- it just suddenly came out," he said.

"Just where exactly were you headed?" Manny came and asked.

"I-I don't know I just…" the wolf couldn't think straight. "I just… feel like I need to be somewhere. Right now."

"Look pal, until you got a clear idea of where to go and how to get there, you're staying here." Diego lectured in a serious manner, not wanting to endanger their new acquaintance. "With the sudden squalls coming about, you might not last a day on your own. So you're better off just lying down and keeping still for a while."

Obediently, the wolf nodded and they went back closer to the campsite.

"Care to tell us what your name is?" the mammoth inquired.

"I'm… I uh… the wolf said. "I… don't… I don't know…"

"Great, he doesn't even know who he is," Manny complained.

"Your name, can you remember your name?" the sabertooth insisted. "Come on, you have to give us something to call you."

He sits, contemplating deeply. "R… Ryan… It's Ryan…" he finally answers.

"Good. For a second there I thought we might end up giving him a new name for a pet," said Manny.

"Anything else you can remember?" Diego continued to ask.

"I… It's all… foggy…" Ryan answered.

"Hope we don't have to babysit him for everything he doesn't remember," Manfred grumbled.

"Go easy on him Manny. His last memory would probably be years ago, but to him he could take that it happened maybe minutes ago or as if it was just last night." Diego said before turning towards Ryan. "You should get some rest for now.

"We should probably get some rest too," Manny told Diego.

"Yeah…" Diego said in approval. They went back to lie down on their original spots and try going back to sleep.

Not a few minutes too soon, the mammoth was snoring soundly. But the tiger could not keep qualms – more than Manny would actually feel from being away from his family. He could not keep his eyes off the peculiar wolf. He was young, brash, and potentially short-tempered.

But he could not shake off the feeling that there's something else about him that has him so intrigued.

* * *

Sniffing through the ground, Scrat could feel scent close enough he could **taste **it (although he really wouldn't do any of the sort). After hours of searching without rest, Scrat brightens up to see his acorn. However, he soon realizes it is off in the distance, and the way to it was perilous. Before him was large chasm that seemed to echo a laugh from the dark abyss. Next, he would have to cross a small river of lava. Small as it may be, lava could burn through fur and skin. After being through, he would then need to traverse a field of geysers blowing out hot steaming water. He even watched a bird trying to pass by while idle until it suddenly blew out, serving it cooked and ready for nearby predators.

Scrat gulped, thinking if he should just change his mind. He turned around, but he quickly turned to see the acorn sitting idly by, shining in the light as if it was waiting for him. And as usual he can't resist it, and will risk getting killed just to have it. So he decides to try and get it.

First off, the small chasm. "It's not really that wide." Scrat thought. But he had to be careful. He carried a rock, limbering as he does it, and drops it into the chasm. After a few _minutes_, he heard a large *thud*. Scrat survived most of his falls, but this was going to kill him if he doesn't make it over. He spotted a fallen branch around him. It was long and durable, so he used it to his advantage. With it, he pole vaulted over the chasm and landed just right on the edge. He managed to clamber back on his feet.

Second part. The lava river. Scrat tried to approach it, but the ground suddenly cracked, and it was carried out by lava. Scrat thinks for a while, and then comes up with an idea. If he ran fast enough, he might be able to cross to ground before breaking. But what about the river itself. He couldn't jump it entirely, and it was bigger than the chasm. He couldn't pole vault it 'cause he might sink into the lava. After all, the ground broke easily.

He soon noticed that there were small floating chunks of earth. If he timed correctly, he might cross the river unscathed. With all he found out, he tried it. He moved backwards a bit, and the ran on four legs as fast as he could, crossing the breaking earth after running over it and jumped from chunk to chunk on the river, and finally jumped on a hard piece of earth. Scrat was now breathing hard, after all that running and jumping. But seeing his nut again, his stamina was filled with determination and vigor.

Finally, the field of geysers. Scrat's legs were shaking. One wrong step and he could end up… well… insta-cooked. Scrat approached the field, but a geyser suddenly emits steam right in front of him. His nose turned red, and he flinched backwards shrieking. He noticed the geysers would emit steam alternately, and after a while, they would stop for a second and blow out steam at the same time.

He needs to run fast, have quick reflexes, and perfect timing. Once again, if he makes one wrong step, he's a goner. After all the geysers blew out steam, Scrat ran in a zigzag pattern, avoiding the geysers with each step. He shrieks and shrieks every time a geyser blows steam right next to him. Halfway across, he runs even faster knowing that it might happen soon. After a 2-3 seconds, the geysers stopped. He knew what this meant. He sprinted faster since his life _did_ depend on it. As he jumped off the field, he made it just in time as the geysers all blew out hot steam.

Scrat was gasping for air as if he almost drowned. He was really tired and was lying flat on the ground. But when looked to see where his nut was, it wasn't there anymore.

Scrat couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed it and rubbed it, and crawled to where it was before. After desperately looking around, he found it near a mountain wall. With a sigh of relief, Scrat started to crawl only to realize it moved behind the mountain wall. Scrat suspected something and crawled sneakily to the wall to find Scratte with his nut. "No wonder it was moving!" he thought.

"But what is she doing", he also thought. He sees her hiding behind tree looking at something, but he doesn't know what. He sneaked up to another hiding place to get a better look and finally saw what she was looking at. A macho-muscled masculine saber-tooth squirrel, fitter and more handsome than he was. And from the looks of it, Scratte got her eyes on him.

Scrat should feel jealous at the moment, but he saw an opportunity. If Scratte were to lower her guard at _his_ nut, he could retrieve it without any difficulty.

And now the chase was on. As the macho squirrel named Scoot moved along, so did Scratte with _**his**_ nut. And as she moved along, so did Scrat. Both Scoot and Scratte didn't know that they were being followed.

* * *

Following through dark corridors that have lead them underground, the twins, Sid and Peaches found themselves traversing almost blindly. Crash and Eddie moved forward ahead of Sid and Peaches, trying to stay cautious. Along the trail there were dozens of glowing mushrooms growing from the ground or hanging from the ceiling. The gang could not help but wonder in its spectacle.

Becoming more anxious by the second, Sid told the gang, "Maybe we should head back."

"No way! We've come this far, so we might as well look everywhere!" Crash said.

"There wasn't any entrance leading here until after that earthquake," Eddie explained. "Who knows, we might find a way to Manny and Diego!"

"Then maybe we should turn around and get Ellie," said Sid.

"She can take care of herself. Besides! I bet she's on her way here right now." Eddie said confidently

"I hope your right…"

The group soon find themselves in a fork in the road, the tunnels dividing into three different ways. "So… ummmm…" Crash muttered. "Which way to go now?"

"Uhhhh…" Eddie wondered as well. "This way… – or maybe that way!" His fingers were pointing from left to right. "Oh, no wait I think it's–" before he points to the left entrance again, he gets interrupted by Peaches.

"It's that way," She says confidently, pointing her trunk to the middle.

"What makes you say that?" Crash asked from her sudden statement.

Peaches lifted her trunk to feel a brushing over her fur. "There's wind coming from that direction," she answered. "That means there is an exit over there."

"Wow!" Sid said in awe. "How did you know that?"

"Uncle Diego taught me," Peaches said with a smile.

The twins trotted onward. "Well then, let's go."

"I wish Diego would teach me those kinds of things," the sloth commented.

Crash rolled his eyes. "I bet you wouldn't even listen. I wish he taught _us_!"

As they go further inside the tunnel, they could audibly hear the winds howl around the walls. Almost eerily. As the trail of mushrooms start to disappear, so does their vision of their path. Sid eventually trips from the lack of light.

In a few short minutes, however, they finally see light at the end of the tunnel. In a joyous remark, they all march forward with bursting morale.

"There's the exit!" Eddie shouted.

"Wow!" said Crash "You were right, princess! Way to go!"

"Of _course_ I'm right. If its Unca' Diego who taught, then it's _definitely_ right," the small mammoth beamed.

"Now we can go find Manny and Diego," Sid said excitingly.

As they walk onwards, the light starts to illuminate their path, making it easier for Sid not to trip. But after feeling the ground a few times, Sid could not help getting a suspicious feeling.

"You know, we've been walking downwards for a while now," said the sloth. "If that really is the exit, don't you think we should be walking _upwards_?"

"Relaaaax, it's not like we're gonna get killed over this!" Crash snorted.

The gang walked into the slip of light and took a few moments for their eyes to adjust to the light. "There! Now we can-"

However, they did not find the snowy land they were hoping for. To their amazement, they saw Dinoland within their very eyes. The numerous tall alien-like fauna that decorated the large tropical atmosphere, the humongous dinosaurs reaching out from small trees to leaves perched on cliffs; none of them could still not believe what they were witnessing

"Woah…." They all said in unison.

"It's Dinoland!" Crash yelled excitedly. "Peaches, Peaches! This is the place we told you stories about!"

"Wow, it's amazing!" Peaches exclaimed. "I dreamed of this place since I was a kid!"

"It's been a long time since we've been here!" said Sid. "Hey! I wonder where Buck is! We haven't seen him since!"

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Crash bellowed. "We should go look for Buck!"

"Great idea!" Eddie replied energetically."We could go on another wild adventure! If Diego won't teach us any cool stuff, then I bet Buck would!"

"Yeah!"

"You guys…" said Peaches. "Mom is probably worried sick by now. We've really been gone for a while"

"B-but Peaches…!" the twins cried in unison. "Dinosaurs!"

"Can't you see its night time?" Sid added. "Peaches needs to get some shut-eye."

Crash and Eddie let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, I guess we should head back..."

But right as they turned around they saw a large scaly dinosaur right in front of them.

And it was angry. One spine-chilling roar and they were all running for their lives.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Looking back, it's kind of funny how this is what started it all. I somewhat wrote a story that included diverging and collaborating scenes that ended up writing with a lot of perspectives and characters. It actually went without the need to exhaust a single scene with fifteen or more characters, and instead I was actually somewhat able to give every character a part in the story by having three to five in many different scenes. **

**Also, it brings me great joy to put this in from the original:**

**I DO NOT OWN ICE AGE OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTER. I JUST LOVE THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE.**


	3. A White Weasel

**Xion the Author: I reminisce in every A/N I wrote before. They're very childish and it amuses me to know that I once acted as such. I mentioned how I had such difficulty in my lack of word count per chapter. Now I just can't control adding too much. Hahaha… I never even knew how time inconsistent the scenes were. In the previous chapter, Manny and Diego's timeling were at midnight, and the others were experiencing daytime. To fix that, I rewrote it to a sunset setting, and Manny and Diego's a few minutes further. I've also readjusted which scenes came first and last.**

**Again, I remember how much this story was lacking. The OC were very much anonymous and their characters were hardly expressed. Perhaps it was the lack of thought, the haste of rushing, or my inadequate writing experience. Maybe all three, and more. Thus, I plan to write in a backstory for my OC, especially Ryan.**

* * *

_**Chapter III. A White Weasel**_

Ellie turned around to check who it was. To get a clearer view, she stepped out of the cave and looked around. Seeing nothing but snow, she passed it off as if she was thinking it and went to go back until she was stopped once again.

"Ummm… I'm sorry, but did you hear me at all?"

The female mammoth turned around, but again sees no one. "Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?"

"Ummm... up here miss!"

Ellie looks up at the nearby tree to see a white weasel perched on a branch. In an attempt to impress, he hops his feet off and tried to swing from the branch. The branch broke however, screwing his stunt.

"Wooahh!" he yells as he lands down, "Ooof!"

"Umm… are you okay…?" Ellie asked somewhat sympathetically.

"Oh, uh… yeah, yeah." he says while brushing of the dirt and snow off his fur. "I'll uhh – I'll be fine."

"Well, okay. So, uh… I'm gonna go now." said Ellie as she turned around post-haste to go check out the entrance.

"W-wait, stop!" the white weasel cries while running to catch up with her. "Could I *gasp* could I come with?"

"Come with?" she asked. "What could possibly be down there that you're interested in."

"Just a theory but…" the weasel tried calming down and catches his breath. "My quarry could be in there."

"What quarry?" Ellie asked.

"During the earthquake, the earth managed to even split and break lava from the core." He explained, popping his neck as he continued on. "Some holes might have cracked open but did not occur magma eruption. I followed the trail of mess closer towards the epicenter, but I couldn't find it. So my guess is, that hole there could be object to valuable interest."

"Right…" Ellie muttered as she turned around, not wanting to waste another second with her acquaintance.

"Hold on just a moment! You don't understand just yet!" he shouted, running after her in his relatively smaller strides.

Ellie turned in frustration. "Look, I _really_ need to go, so could you make it quick?"

"Okay." He exhaled and gathered himself for a few moments before continuing his explanation. "In my life, I've seen many things. Butterflies breaking through cocoons-"

"Ahem," the mammoth pressed, making him cut to the point.

"Alright, fine. Once in my childhood, I thought I saw a world completely different from ours – one that existed right beneath our very feet! There exists plant species that would die out in such a cold environment such as ours, and dinosaurs that were once believed to be extinct!"

Ellie looked at him with a wide-eyed expression. "Okay, I know this sounds crazy but you have to believe me! Everyone told me it was in my head or I just dreamed about it, but I _know_ it exists! I'm sure I've seen it!"

"Wait – dinosaurs? A world beneath us?" said Ellie suddenly. "We've been there!"

"Huh? What?" the weasel bantered. "Now _you're _talking crazy."

"No no, we've been there, I'm serious!" she persuaded. "We-"

"Alright then, let's march onwards!" He shouted, quickly scurrying up to her crown. "No time for dilly-dallying, giddy up!"

"Wait, you believe me?" she asked.

"No reason not to," the weasel answered. "You'd be insane if you're lying."

"Right…" she muttered as she was finally one her way.

"By the way, my name's Barret!" He said as he introduced himself, stretching his long body in front of her face. "It's spelled B – A - double R – E - T!"

"My name is Ellie," she replied. "It's spelled E – double L – I – E."

"Good to be of acquaintance," Barret said.

While walking through the tunnel illuminated by weird glowing mushrooms, the size of average-sized rocks, the two were in conversation.

"So what got you in such a hurry ma'am?" Barret asked.

"I'm looking for my daughter," she answered. "And don't call me ma'am."

"Yes ma- I mean – Yes, Ellie." He added.

"We were taking shelter in the cave from this morning's blizzard and eventually our herd got separated thanks to that earthquake. My husband and his friend are over on the other side of the wall. I left my daughter with her uncles' to stay in the cave for a while, but when I came back she wasn't where I left her."

"Herd? Her uncles?" the white weasel asked. "The cave doesn't seem like enough shelter for that many mammoths."

"Our herd is… special," she answered. While answering, her worrisome nature popped a question into her head. "You really think this could lead to that world below us?"

"If we keep going down like this, maybe," Barret answered. "We could also end up walking towards the other end of the wall. That's a bit impossible though.

"What makes you say that?" the female mammoth inquired.

Barret went to sit on her tusks and explained. "The lava came out from underground and erupted up a few meters high. Even from afar we could see it happen during the blizzard. So, with a bit of thought, the ground underneath should be walled off the same way above us."

"Well, her uncles aren't really ones for taking much thought," Ellie replied. "But if they had either reason, they'd definitely be going down through here."

However, their suspicions had finally been settled after hearing a thundering roar echo through the cave. They nodded at each as they both marched onwards.

* * *

The stegosaurus snarled and lunged towards Peaches and the gang. They scrambled whilst running away and screaming out at the top of their lungs.

"Why was it attacking us?" Sid screamed while running away. The dinosaur was chasing them, biting when he gets close enough and the gang trying to avoid each attack.

"Beats me! It's probably angry 'cause we entered its territory!" Crash shouted before leaping to the side as a large tree was thrown in.

"Less talking, more sprinting!" shouted Eddie.

"Don't you think it's a bit too big to be moving so fast?" Sid cried. The stegosaurus heard him say "big", and immediately growled louder.

"Great, Sid. He heard you!" Crash scolded.

They all looked back while running to see the dinosaur about to slide his tail right across them. Right before it was about to, the group instantly lost ground and fell from level. The stegosaurus' heavy tail struck down the nearby trees, preventing it from following them.

The gang continued to scream. They were sliding together through a slope of slippery moss. Sid was sliding down first with Peaches and the twins right next to them. They navigated through the curves, and hanging branches. Soon enough, they began enjoying themselves - except Sid of course. A rock at the end of the slide was sighted, and the gang began to scream once again.

Thankfully, Sid slammed onto it first, saving the others from impact. Everyone else was feeling disoriented, but Peaches was bouncing enthusiastically.

"Woohoo! I just saw a real live dinosaur right in front of me for the very first time!" Peaches exclaimed. "And I can remember it!"

"Boy, I wish I had _your_ optimism…" Sid muttered while panting hardly and taking deep breaths.

"Well," Crash said. "It looks like we won't be able to go back home that way anymore.

"Unless of course," Eddie suggested, "we find Buck!"

"Buck?" Peaches asked. "As in, _the _dino-wrangling Buck?"

"Yeah princess! He could help us get home! After all did it before, right Sid?" said Eddie

"Uhhhh… yeah, hehehe," Sid said trying not to remember the big mess-up he made.

"Wow…" Peaches stands amazed. "I'm going to see a whole lot of dinosaurs, and then see the legendary Buck in the stories my dad told me!"

"Yeah… maybe we could _avoid_ the dinosaurs," Sid commented.

"Okay!" said Crash standing up. "Let's go start finding him then!"

"But where should we start, bro?" asked Eddie. "We don't even know _where _he lives!"

Crash stopped in his tracks. "I guess. But its better we first find him – before **Rudy** finds _us."_

"Rudy?" Peaches shivered, remembering the stories his dad told him before bed. "As in, the big unstoppable dinosaur *gulp* _Rudy._" Sid gulped along with Peaches, who both found terror in the odd name.

"The one and only!" said Crash in a somewhat happy-go-lucky way.

"Well, it's a better plan than nothing," Sid said.

"Alright then! Let's go!" yelled Crash and Eddie in unison with a brave front; although they both know that the other person was just as scared as he was.

And so, the gang set off to search for Buck… wherever he may be.

* * *

Speaking of the devil, the fearless adrenaline-rushed dino-hunter was off making a few rounds. Inspecting the intelligent plant form and rather senile dino cretins, he was made to wonder how far his insanity has really brought him..

Buck was walking along the jungle, invigorated as usual without a strain of sleepiness. He passed along tons of plants and sleeping dinosaurs. He looked around in marvel of the world around him. Though he had been there for a long time, he was still amazed at everything. He was the same weasel the day the guys met him. He was fearless, strong, agile, nimble, and most of all, insane.

He was content, to say the least. If not, happy. He couldn't imagine any better life.

Buck really wasn't that far. He was walking along with that proud stride of his, waving his trusty bone-white knife. Buck still had 'Rudy's tooth' knife, which as always, was a useful tool going about in a world filled entirely with danger and adventure. He lived in nothing but his wits, guts, and instinct. From the way it looked, Buck seemed to OWN Dinoland.

But there was just one problem for the others. The one-eyed weasel was walking in direction towards the cave, but the gang was walking away.

That could be quite problematic.

* * *

Diego opened his eyes to realize he still hasn't fallen asleep. Although it might bite back at him with fatigue, he decided to get up on walk it off. With Manny and Ryan still asleep, he stole through the night with nimble paws.

They were right at the bottom of a hill, and they were planning to walk up first thing in the morning. The sabertooth planned to do it himself to save them the trouble, seeing as there's nothing to be done.

Diego was climbing up the steep hill full of jagged rocks. It was a problem for him to climb it up, let alone how for a woolly mammoth. If he were not alone, it would take them around two hours or so to get up and back. Alone, he could do it in a few minutes.

The moon rose high shining his way for him, reflecting in his eyes in a somber monotone. He thought about what he had said to Sid and the twins before. What _did_ happen to them, to his mother, to his sister? It had been such a long time that he never bothered thinking about it.

With his time being spent with pack, he learned ignorance; with the herd - satisfaction. Both perhaps had led him into forgetting his past. But how could one ever wish to remember such hard times when the days of today were nothing short of being pleasurable.

After a long time of climbing, he reached the top of the hill and took a few deep breaths. It resembled more like a mountain than a hill after climbing it. When he looked out to the horizon, he saw a devastating sight that would probably delay the trip even more.

"Time to head back..."

* * *

"Boy," Barret grunted. "This sure is one heck of a tunnel."

Unknown to them, it was already late at night. Barret was resting soundly in the warm comfort of Ellie's thick hair. She was too worried about everyone – Peaches mostly – and didn't want to get any rest.

"Yeah... I hope they're alright." Ellie replied.

"You really seem worried about them," Barret said. "If your daughter really is with her uncles, then I'm sure she's safe with three big mammoths to protect her."

"That's not it. My brothers…" she answered. "They're not exactly… like me."

Barret raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"My brothers are possums," Ellie explained. "Their names are Crash and Eddie. And the other person Peaches' is with is Sid – a sloth."

"Judging by how farfetched the first statement was, I'm guessing that's not just figurative kind of a sloth but a _real_ sloth," the weasel inferred. She nodded, slightly so as not to tip him off her head. "Well now… that's a bit peculiar. You really should be worried then."

"Thanks for the tip," she said. "Oh, and that friend my husband is with that I told you about? He's a sabertooth tiger."

Barret didn't know he would be even more surprised after hearing just what he did until now. "Really? A large-fanged predator in your herd?" he asked, and again she nodded. "Now this really is one strange herd.

They finally arrive at the fork where Peaches and the gang had been. Unfortunately for them, none of the two knew about following an exit from a tunnel. "So, uh, which way do we go?"

"I think we should take the mid-"

"We should take the left one," Barret cut in.

"You sure about that?" Ellie asked him.

"Yes. Taking into perspective the amount of increased mushroom growth density and the angle of the tunnel entrance, I am _one-hundred percent_ sure that this is where to go." Barret said in his ordinary intuitive way of speech.

Ellie was skeptical, but seeing how else he could be wrong, "All right. Let's go then."

* * *

"**Yaaaaaaaaaaaawwwnn!**"

Now walking since their first encounter with a dinosaur, the gang managed to safely avoid hostile dinosaurs. So far, the only ones who were docile enough were the giant diplodocus – if they would only not be squished from not being seen from his view.

Whilst walking, they couldn't help but yawn together in drowsiness. If one would yawn, the other would automatically yawn back instinctively. Peaches was already walking with her eyes closed. Her eyes were drooping and were wet with tears from over yawning. Even the over-enthusiastic twins were getting tired.

And if _they_ were tired, so would Sid – _Especially_ Sid

"Hey, *yawn* guys," Said Sid sleepily. Sid was trying to keep his eyes open, desperately trying to stay awake.

"Wha- *Yawn*, yeah? Nnf… what is it Sid?" asked Eddie sheepishly. He was walking around slowly with each step as if each of his legs was tied up with a heavy block of stone.

"Maybe we should… take camp tonight…" he replied, pointing at the dark ceiling of Dinoland. They couldn't see the sky from where they were, but the few spots of ice ceilinged across the surface refracted the dark ominous glow of the moon.

"But, *yawn*, we're not tired *yaaaawn* yet," moaned Crash, also walking snail-paced like his brother. "Buck wouldn't… *yawn* he never got tired before…!"

"Short for Buckminster, long for… buuuuuuuuaaahhh…." Peaches said as a cheer, although somewhat depressingly.

"*yaaaawn* Yeah, night time is *yawn* possum tiiiiime..." muttered Eddie sluggishly.

Sid, feeling drowsier than the others, wanted to finally take a nap. A rock of some kind on the ground would do for him. Knowing the guys wouldn't admit it, Sid thought of another way to get them some rest. He sometimes were the source of random crazy thoughts. But in a yawn after, he thought of the perfect excuse.

"Ummm, guys." He called out to them. "I think _Peaches_ needs some sleep."

The boys looked at each other and the automatically decided that they would get some rest. Peaches did look like she was already sleepwalking. While the twins were summoning their remaining strength to gather twigs with they're slumberous bodies, Peaches went to sleep ahead of them and Sid looked for sparking stones to use in making a fire.

After a while, they finally gathered enough wood to make a nice comfy fire they all cuddled about near it. And not long after, they had all fallen into deep slumber. They carried into their dreams of what they could only hope to expect in the future.

* * *

"Okay, so both of these are dead ends," said Barret pointing at the left and right exits. "I can't believe we actually hit a wall with both of them.

"You said that you were 100% sure it'd be the exit on both accounts – and you were wrong twice." Ellie said in a fit of frustration.

"I was a hundred percent sure of my _facts_," the white weasel said, "Never specified I was sure of my conclusion."

Ellie grunted in irritation. "Can't believe we wasted time so much time..."

"Well then let's waste time no longer!" Barret cheered. "Come on, it's the middle tunnel! This time, I'm 100% sure of my conclusion!"

"No, duh," moaned Ellie.

"Come on, be more enthusiastic," Barret cheered onwards, clenching his fist into the air.

"Easy for you to say," said Ellie while walking down the last tunnel, "You're not the one who hasn't been doing all the walking"

"Okay, granted, I've been a bit of a bother. But what good would me walking do? I'm sure a big mammoth like have _no _problem of letting me stay on your back."

Frustrated enough, Ellie grabbed him with her trunk and dropped him down on the ground.

"Okay so you're angry," Barret continued. "But there's no real reason to not be a friend, right?"

The two didn't bother to settle their quarrel when they finally emerge from the tunnel, right where they expected. Barret took a moment to relish the moment. He scanned his eyes from corner to corner, as if landing on an entirely new planet.

"Woahh…" Barret's jaw dropped wide open. "It's here… I really can't believe that its here…! Woohoo! I just… wow! This is by far the happiest moment of my life to date!"

Barret's happy figure almost had Ellie forget all about her frustration with him. She smiled as she watched him dance happily.

"Oh, wait 'til everyone back home hears about _this!_ Not believe a thing I say, eh? Well, wait until I bring all them down here!" Barret said to himself.

"Back home?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah!" Barret answered quickly. "My brothers and sisters. I'm the youngest of eight kids, so that kinda waters it down. No one believes the youngest – even if our age gap is measured in just minutes. We were all born on the same day for pete's sake…"

"Yeah, well, wait till you see the dinosaurs-" Ellie stopped when she heard a 'grrrr' sound behind her.

"Uhhh…" The white weasel gulped as he turned around in fear. "Like… the one behind us?"

Ellie turned around as well and flinched backwards. An angry stegosaurus, woken up from his sleep, was staring at them furiously. Ellie stepped back inch by inch as Barret quickly hopped onto her back.

They were all ready to run like hell, when they heard a sudden voice coming from afar.

"Oi! Over here you muscle-headed freak!" the voice clamored as stones landed onto the dinosaurs face.

Provoked, the dinosaur turned head alone with Ellie and Barret. In front of them was none other than Buck. The stegosaurus swung his tail around towards him. Buck quickly ran and jumped over it, going as far up in the air to evade the large plates protruding from its back to its tail. The tail slammed in to the cave, shaking it immensely.

The cave walls trembled and shook. Buck swung his tail around in front of the dinosaur, provoking it further. The stegosaurus snapped his jaw towards him. Buck leaped and continued to run forward. The dinosaur growled and ran after him, gaining momentum with each step. Soon enough, it was running like a giant battering ram. Just as it would catch up with Buck, the weasel rolled to the side. Not able to fully stop on its tracks, the dinosaur rammed right onto the stone wall. The ground trembled violently on impact. Large cracks formed all around it.

Ellie and Barret could only sit by the sidelines and watch. Buck quickly grabbed hold of a nearby vine and sprinted towards the momentarily disoriented reptile and bridled the vine through its jaws, making sure it couldn't bite it off. The adventurous weasel then sprang onto its head with a loud, "Giddy up!"

The stegosaurus wailed aggressively. For an herbivore, it had quite the temper compared to the other dinosaurs."Yaaa!" bellowed Buck as the stegosaurus pounded his feet to push itself up to the air. The dinosaur had tremendous foot strength, being able to push its large heavy body. The conflict ended up becoming a rodeo. It swung its head from side to side in an effort to shake the intruder off.

Buck pulled on its reins and tried to keep steady control of it. "Wooaah! Oof!" The stegosaur battled against him by jumping wildly and shaking its head profusely, proving its tenacity by not giving up so easily. Buck's stubbornness would prove otherwise. Buck would also hop up and down from each movement, but he stayed his grip. He kept on heaving at the vines, and soon enough the reptile began to lose strength. As soon as Buck could steer its head towards a direction, he could control the rest of its body.

The weasel steered the reins to the right, and to an eventual result the dinosaur was moving towards that direction. "Come on, that's it!" taunted Buck as whipped the leash continuously, further provoking it. When the dinosaur caught sight of the mountain wall it began to start charging at it. It bent its head down with Buck sliding to the front.

"Look out!" shouted Ellie. Buck couldn't move from being pushed head-on by the dinosaur. But instead of trying to moving away, Buck simply grinned and readied his feet on the dinosaurs snout. In a display of inexplicable momentum, the stegosaur charged towards the wall at high speed. Finally, just moments before impact, Buck bolted to the side with all his strength.

With a heavy slam, the reptile collided its thick skull against the wall. A large hole was dented in, forming cracks and crevices that crawled towards the tunnel entrance. The crept and formed circles around the wall, and boulders one after the other started to fall down the entrance. No creature could ever hope to pass through it now.

The two watched as their supposed escape route had fallen into dust.

* * *

**Xion the Author: Major rewrite to Barret's dialogues, making him more of an intellectual (also making Ellie sound a lot friendlier). My plan before (as little as it was) in first making him was to express fan-based on how it would be like to have an adventure with Buck. Seeing however that his character was incredibly lacking, I decided to write up a more interesting character; someone that wouldn't overtake Buck's extreme attitude, but complements it.**


	4. Mammoth Like Problems

**Xion the Author: Chapter 4 Revision. Started writing up a proper back story for Nia and Ryan. Some of the main characters were slightly dynamic, but the only ones certainly static were Crash, Eddie, and Sid. To make them develop slightly without going to lengths like completely changing their attitude (since they aren't like OC), I added bits to make them seem to mature more. Although, I still almost subconsciously have them finish each other's statements with one supporting the other and vice versa **

**Hope to really get it good this time around.**

* * *

_**Chapter IV. Mammoth-like Problems**_

Lunatic.

An enticing word; it is the name of one who falls to insanity. Luna, which meant moon, was believed to gravitate over the waters of the earth – including any individuals. As you stare at its eerie white glow, you would feel the ebb and flow of your body swirling around like the tides of the ocean. You would feel yourself surrendering to its mercy and wished it to carry your body high into the heavens. Those who fall prey to lose their minds as their souls are sent adrift.

The way a silver-eyed wolf stared at the moon, hiding alone in its basking light at the edge of a cliff, she might as well be. In its gloom she desired nothing else but to disappear into the moonlit night.

She sat on the cold stone with a grim thought haunting her. Doubts and suspicions crashed and spun around her like a dull scissor twisting her intestines. She couldn't breathe while bearing the thought. She could not believe something like that would ever happen. Her doubts kept her from her suspicions.

But still, there were suspicions. It pulled her apart when her emotions and feelings were tied along like strings pulling against each other.

Could he really have killed him?

"Nia," a low familiar voice called out from the darkness. "There you are, child."

The silver-eyed wolf rose up from the stone floor. The cold breeze brushed over her, but her unshakeable reprieve stood along with her. Yellow-eyes glowed dimly in reflection of the eminent lunar beams, stepping forward from the darkness.

"…father." She turned to face him against the cloudless moonlit sky. For a moment, Nia wasn't able to speak. More specifically, she wasn't able to call him that way. Her suspicions made her answer so tacitly.

Her father came with a stern approach, but raised her jaw up with his paw. "Raise your chin. Your mother would frown along if you would not wear a smile in your Ceremony." His disciplining yet soothing voice echoed in her ears.

"Oh – yes. Yes, she would, wouldn't she father?" Nia spluttered. She answered almost eagerly, opposite in contrast to her previous statements. Now it was her doubts beating the drums.

Her father let out a sigh, turning to escort her. "Come now. We musn't be late. "

"Yes… father..." while walking away from the comfort she found in the memories made at the cliff, she could not help but turn her head and look back – even more than once.

The village was in a festive mood. All the other wolves were howling in recognition. The others knew how to beat bones against surfaces that made pleasing sounds and tones. Nia and her father entered the village with everyone seemingly drunk with euphoria. All the villagers looked up to her father with respect. Who would ever dare to show disgrace to the person who had led the pack for several years.

Every other wolf as young as Nia appeared more enthusiastic than she actually was. All the men were watching her; jealous of the man who was lucky enough to have her as a wife. They themselves knew that all they had to say was small talk, but to never have a chance at something you'd want was a shame just as well. For what male could not appreciate her amorous white fur.

And all the young women bashed in jealousy as well. Her betrothed was a strong and courageous wolf, they talk among themselves. A fine alpha he would make, they'd say. All the other girls could only frown in disappointment, not having even a shot in the dark to say hello to her would-be groom. They'd all wished he'd decide to marry someone else like them instead.

But Garic, the pack leader, would never allow it. Bearing only a female child, he was always troubled to find a way to let the pack survive. The tribe was knit together by tradition, and tradition was law. He could only ever marry once. Could he so choose, he would have married enough to sustain his bloodline for the next several generations. But to only marry once, and have only one child, that was his only flaw as the greatest ever leader of the pack.

The pack of Nia's betrothed was the same, following traditions dictated by order. Anyone outside of tradition was driven away. They are branded as strays; lone wolves that will never find the comfort of others.

Nia tried to keep calm amongst the chorale of cheers and banters. She tried to smile, show a happy face not to spoil the however not intended tender faces everyone gave her. The silver-eyed wolf was happy for their giving happiness, but she could only wish she could find true happiness in the chaos that was ensuing.

Without a male to continue the alpha's lineage, there would be no descendant fitting to become leader. Tradition has long since sprouted within the pack that everyone believed that only the sons of an alpha male could ever lead the pack to prosperity. But Nia was a female, and only males can be alphas.

The other pack would never agree to such a union, had it been for a certain problem. Human hunters had been at large recently, and all the game was being taken away first from them. The wolves couldn't imagine how such a lowly creature had bested them at tracking and hunting. But despite such hubris, they saw how much a potential threat it was. To answer best to such a problem, uniting two separate packs into one was the best answer to rallying power and for hunting food.

Garic was delighted to hear that the other pack's alpha agreed wholeheartedly from seeing a beautiful wife for his son. Nia was compelled to assume such responsibilities, despite her own feelings. Thus, today was the Ceremony – the night he and she would bond under the guidance of the moon.

Her resolve did not waver even when she reached the center of the village where her betrothed was waiting for her. He stood there, handsomely and confidently with all the other women – even the older – were sighing in jealousy. She walked step by step, growing slightly anxious of the proceeding ritual. To stay herself, she instead did not look at the future she'd have but what others would. Her betrothed stood smiling at her, perhaps happy of what to happen.

Finally, as Nia and her betrothed was standing side-by-side, the shaman wolf covered in decals of red ink, howled in front of them. He was then followed by the pack alphas, howling together which then followed the others until each and every wolf was howling in unison. And, as if by strange coincidence, when the shaman had stopped howling, so did the rest. Even the young ones were able to keep up such a long overture.

"By day, we track. By night, we hunt. O', Great Wolf! We gather ourselves here today to join these two individuals – to join our families! Such is the answer to the plight we now face." The shaman's voice echoed throughout the village. The pack dwellers sat and listened intently, silently as possible.

"If this not be the solution you see fit, give us a sign! Help us so we may be free from bondage and suffering!" the shaman shouted to heavens, as if clearly asking for a drop of rain from a clear evening sky; perhaps even one of the stars that decorated the sky to fall down and kiss the ground in a gentle spark.

While everyone followed what the shaman had said, Nia could only remain silent with her own disagreements. To be wed – a reason for involving only the two that would wish to be together – was something not to be done for others. But if this were the role she had to play in life, so be it she thought.

She did not even know this man beside her. Deep inside, she wished there would occur a sign of the gods. Let their mighty fist shake the very earth!

And, as if an answer to her silent prayer, the ground did shake.

Cracks started to form from afar, as if coming from some point from a distance away. The earth shook as a crevice started to crack from her right paw. She leaped to the side to find the ground rise and push out. They were all shouting as the earth kept shaking violently. They ran across each side with who they knew. Large rocks separated her from her betrothed. A line of rising earth divided the village. Each side represented the villagers of each pack.

When the shaking ended, all the wolves were relieved but shocked. But no one else could have been shocked more than Nia. She turned and looked around in disbelief, wondering in caution. Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd.

"I-It must be a sign!" Everyone started to whisper among themselves.

"This couldn't have happened by coincidence!" The seeds of unrest hidden from their recent euphoria started to grow like weeds.

"Such tragedy! Why would such a thing happen?" It turned as if smiles were only flowers that bloomed every so often, and would wilt quickly enough to reveal a plant's true nature.

"Perhaps it's the will of the Great Wolf?" a voice rang out. Suddenly, the unrest quickly came to its chorus – performing at its loudest.

Garic stepped forward to clear the widespread panic. "Enough! Do not waste your breaths on such petty arguments!"

"Perhaps it is true! What if they were never meant to be!" another stranger brought out.

"W-wait!" stammered Nia, whose voice was only oppressed by the scrutiny of whispers and murmurs. She looked around for any face for she could speak with a voice of reason. But even when she turned towards the man she was about to marry, nothing. Instead, she could only hear him speak in agreement with the crowd.

"Will everyone please calm down!" Garic demanded. "The calamity is over. We may still proceed with the Ceremony-"

"There is no need for that, friend," called out the other pack alpha. In his tone, everyone else was made to be silent and listen intently. "As my son has said, perhaps it is what the Great Wolf had decided. The Ceremony is **off**."

And with that, despite certain afflictions and protests Garic would say, they did not listen. The members of the other pack picked up and left off without wasting another minute. Nia turned away from crowd in disgust. She ran away from the village and went to the only place she could find comfort.

When she arrived at the cliff, a lingering ache inside her heart wished for a certain someone to be there, waiting for her. But she was at the company of herself.

"Why is it that everyone must be tamed by such traditions!" she complained, letting out a puff of frustration. Her resolve, her decision to go by law, all put into nothing. In truth, she disliked everything that followed tradition. She lied on the stone floor she always used to.

In the silver eyes her mother gave her, perhaps only she could see what the world truly was – what her mother intended her to see. A world that is revolving freely without the restraints of tradition. A place where nothing is bound and set in stone. Something someone else had taught her.

A world where life is more vivid than the colors we could see.

But all her eyes could do now was cry. The coldness could no longer numb her senses. She needed him here now more than ever.

* * *

Buck went to the stegosaurus, cut out a nearby vine and lassoed the dinosaur's feet, making it lie down on its side. He displayed a certain mastery to it; being able to do it no less than three seconds.

The tunnel was now completely shut off. Dust and rock filled in the large hole that was meant to be their escape route. "Buck!" Ellie called out. She went towards him as the weasel greeted her back.

" 'ello mate! Naice to see you aga-" Buck's greeting was interrupted by a sharp concussion on the head. Ellie slammed her trunk on his head.

"-ow! Wha' was that foh?" the weasel retorted.

"_That_-!" Ellie pointed her trunk towards the collapsed tunnel. "-was for breaking our only escape route! Couldn't you have beaten that dino up without doing that?"

"Geez, yer welcome. Didn't I just save your big furry hide raight now?" Buck commented. Ellie trumpeted her trunk at him, making him cover his ears.

"All right, all right, I get it. I made a mistake." He said to settle her down. "Yeesh… you don't happen to be preggers again are we?"

"That was our only way back!" she said pointing at the cave with her trunk. "How will we get home now?"

"Oh that, well, that's quite easy. You see-"

Buck stopped to see a white weasel walking from behind the mammoth, looking oddly at the one-eyed counterpart. Buck leaned his head on what he saw a peculiar image. He squinted his eyes trying to identify to irritatingly nostalgic vision. Then in a flash, he saw a miniscule version of him – someone he might have known all those years ago.

"…Barret?" the one-eyed weasel inquired.

The white weasel widened his eyes, knowing with full recognition of the person in front of him.

"Barret! Ahahaha!" Buck joyously bellowed as he ran towards him. The former ran up as well to be hugged and turned and noogied.

"B-big brother, stop!" pleaded Barret in yet a humorous delight.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute-" Ellie cut in "_Big brother?_"

"Yep!" Buck stopped vigorously rubbing his little brother's head for a moment, giving Barret a reprieve of fresh air. The one-eyed weasel let out a gentle sigh before giving one last tight hug to his brother. "I'm _so_ glad to see family down here." He said before later adding. "Other than yours, mammoth. You're just as close."

Finally, Barret got out of Buck constricting grip. "Phew, hah… by the way, what are you doing here? Of all the places, I didn't expect you'd end up here. And what happened to your eye-" A flash of suspicion sparked into Barret's head. "Wait… don't tell me…"

Buck saw the white weasel make a contemplative look. He raised a smirk from the familiar sight, realizing and remembering his brother's old penchant. "You always were the smart one from the rest of us."

"Big brother… how long have you been here?" Barret asked.

"How long have I been gone?" Buck answered.

"Ummm… I sorry to interrupt but…" Ellie jumped in between the two's discussion. "I don't really want to break your little reunion here and all, but could you mind telling us why you tore down the tunnel entrance?"

Breaking off from the awkward moment, Buck went and answered. "Plain and simple, really. I did it tah keep the dinosaurs from goin' up."

"Yeah…" Ellie muttered. "But, you _do_ realize that we don't have any way back now."

Buck replied in a nonchalant tone. "Actually, this is just _one_ of many caves opening up to the world above."

"Really? There are?" Barret quickly joined in.

"Aye." Buck answered. "It all started with that large tremor that happened a while back. Cracks and holes just started appearin' out of nowhere. Thought I finally had ol' snowflake until he escaped during the sudden earthquake.

"Who or what is 'snowflake'?" asked Barret, looking at his older sibling curiously.

"He's the biggest, wildest, most dangerous creature in the world! said Buck in a rowdy and exciting tone, "in this world of course, seeing as there isn't_ any_ dino up there… right?"

"His real name is-" Buck turned his head around in preparation of a menacing answer. He had Barret leaning in anticipation. "_Rudy._"

Barret maintained an anticipating gesture, as if he hadn't heard what he was expecting just yet. It took a while before he finally got the message and fell in quite an odd feeling.

Ellie, noticing Barret's slight unrest, went up and explained to him. "The name doesn't really sound intimidating when you hear it, but wait till you get to see the real thing."

"Okay! On with the other questions," said Buck. "I don't suppose Barret was looking for me, and you mammoth was just escorting him"

"I'm looking for my family," Ellie replied. "Sid, my brothers, and Peaches all went this way and I'm finding them."

"Sid? That floppy green thing you were looking the first time you got here?" Buck asked while raising his only visible eyebrow. "I don't suppose he kidnapped some other momma dinosaur's babies."

"No, he hasn't done anything that stupid." Ellie said.

"And where's that tiger, and your cantankerous husband?" Buck asked.

Ellie let out a deep sigh. "We got separated. During the earthquake, lava just started spewing out of nowhere and froze off into a wall. I went to check up on the two but when I came back everyone else was gone."

"Aye, there's been some fires here too." Buck added. "The cracks really went all the way down here too. The lava went back down to the core after a few minutes, but the fires were really hard to put out. I had tah hire some help from the local dinosaurs."

"I see…" Barret muttered to himself. "The lava that came out during the blizzard froze up but the lower portion just went back down. That would make sense, seeing that there isn't any giant wall formed around here underground."

"How'd you get he-ah in the fahst place?" Buck asked them.

"We came down from a cave not too far from the wall," said Barret. "But if my theory is correct… there might be tunnels heading back up so long as we don't go far from where the wall was made."

"We have to look for Peaches and the others first," said Ellie.

"Well then! You probably want ma' help findin' 'em." said Buck picking up his knife. "And this Sid fella' too, again. I'm sure with mah trackin' expertise we'll get 'em in no time.

"I'd really appreciate it if you would." Ellie said. "Let's get going."

"In the middle of the night?" asked Barret.

"No time to waste. We'll catch them while they're sleeping," Ellie answered.

"Well then!" Buck bellowed while inspecting the ground for clues "Let's follow their tracks! By the end of the day, I'm sure we'll find 'em by then! You remember the rules, right mammoth?"

"It's _Ellie_," she told him. "I hope you haven't forgotten our names."

"_You're_ the one with the better memory," Buck jested.

Barret leaned towards Ellie with a whisper. "Err… What rules?"

"Rule number 1, 'Always listen to Buck'," Ellie said.

"Rule number 2," Buck continued. "Stay in the middle if the trail - and I just found it." He pointed to a set of circular prints and short tiny footprints. "The rest of the rules we can hear as we go along. Let's move!" Buck started to march off ahead of them.

"What other rules?" Barret asked Ellie.

She just chuckled. "He just makes them up as we go along."

"After this, we can always try rule number 4: Have our heads examined!"

* * *

"Nnn…"

The day breaks with Peaches sleeping soundly. In her dreams she must be musing at the celebration of meeting Buck accompanied by excitement and adventure. She adjusts her head to feel as if the surface had brushed back against her. She opened her eyes in a squint and glanced around in a half-asleep daze to discover her surroundings to be moving.

"W-woah!" The ground beneath her feet was moving. It wasn't until she focused her eyes ahead of her to see a large tail waving left and right.

She quickly got up and her possum uncles slide down from her back, waking them up as well.

"Huh? Wh-what's going on?" Crash muttered, half-yawning. He and his twin rubbed their eyes to realize that they had mindlessly fallen asleep on top of a dinosaur. Thankfully, it was docile enough to not have attacked or maybe even noticed them. Sid was sleeping by its neck, snoring loudly that it was almost impossible for the dinosaur to not have noticed them by now.

Peaches went and woke up her other uncle. "Uncle Sid, get up!"

The sloth let out a tired yawn. "F-five more m-uh… five more hours…"

Trying an old trick she learned from her mother, she slammed her trunk right onto his head. "Uncle Sid, wake up!"

"Ow! What happened, what happened!" Sid flinched and immediately got up. He looked down to see a dinosaur carrying them. "Well this is a bit nostalgic."

"We're pretty lucky," said Eddie. "Now we can just lie down and watch out for Buck."

"Considering he found _us_ back then, he can't miss us with being on top of a dinosaur," Crash added. "We can just take it nice and easy."

"I still can't believe I'm riding on a dinosaur!" Peaches said exhilaratingly.

"Plus, we're relatively safe from other mammal-eating monsters," Sid said. "Well, no need to thank me!"

Crash and Eddie looked towards him. Peaches remained in a daze, still taking in the excitement of being on top of a dinosaur. "What do we need to thank _you_ for?" they said in unison.

"If it weren't for me, we'd wake up at some other place. Thanksh to my natural shurvival inshtincts-" The twins gave a disdain glance at each other. "-I _inshtinctively_ led us here so we may care-freely rest without any worry."

It took a while for Peaches to notice Sid was actually saying something. She faced to attention without hearing exactly the words of what Sid said just a while ago.

"For I am, the one. The _onleh-_" Sid moved and turned around in a dramatic posture as if his speech was choreographed. "-Lord of the–"

The sloth almost _instinctively_ slipped his foot down from the dinosaurs back. He slipped and immediately fell. "Aaah!" he let out a short ear-piercing shriek.

"Uncle Sid!" Peaches called out.

"I'm okay!" he shouted back, quickly running towards their dinosaur companion.

The three watched him run after them with no avail. He was too slow, and had already telltale signs of immediate exhaustion. "Don't think he'd be able to help himself back up," Crash said.

"There goes taking it nice and easy…" Eddie muttered.

The three of them let out a cold sigh. They jumped down from their mount and safely landed on the ground. They walked up to Sid for him to catch up. All of them were now in silent depression. Sensing the mood, Peaches made to lighten up the mood.

"Come on guys… I _sure_ we can still find Buck," Peaches encouraged. "We'll be fine as long as we stick together. Right?"

Sid and the twins looked at each other. "Right?" Peaches repeated. Not wanting to put a demoralizing front, the twins puffed their chest out.

"Th-that's right, Peaches!" Crash said in agreement. "After all, this isn't the first time we got here."

"Yeah!" Eddie continued. "We know what to do now. We just need to do what Buck taught us!"

Peaches brightened up and she beamed at them. "What? What did he teach?"

"Rule number 1!" the twins yelled in unison. "Always listen to Buck-!" The possums made an awkward pause after what they said.

"Ummm… I bet there are plenty of other things we learned from Buck," Sid said.

"Y-yeah!" Eddie said, "Just - follow our lead, Peaches! We'll get to Buck in no time! Pretty soon, he'll be teaching us how to catch dinosaurs with blindfolds on!"

Sid couldn't help blurting out a worried comment. "Don't you think we should go back to Manny and the others first?" The twins gave him an angered look behind Peaches, making Sid draw back.

"We'll be fine Uncle Sid!" Peaches cheered in. "If we find Buck before then, everything will work out fine! Let's just stay here on the animal path."

"Well said, Peaches!" Eddie praised, keeping the atmosphere cheerful and happy. "Now, let's go!"

"Yeah!" The group bellowed. With their chins back up, the gang marched forward. The possums took lead while Sid stayed behind Peaches. But just a few strides came a growling sound from the middle of the group. Peaches' stomach rumbled with the equity of a dinosaur.

Peaches placed her trunk over her stomach. "Sorry!" she said embarrassingly.

Sid quickly snapped his fingers. "No need to worry! _I_ can fix this! Everyone just wait right here." The sloth quickly dashed into the foliage, disappearing behind a cover of plants.

"Sid, wait!" Eddie called as he reached out his arm. Being too late, the possum slapped his palm on his face.

The sloth quickly went and looked around to fix their little hunger problem. He plucked out berries that grew on bushes, deftly went up a tree to pluck out fruits that grew on the branches, and picked up large leaves to help carry the bundle. If it came to food, Sid had the vigor of an enraged rhino.

Sid tied up the supply and wrapped it with leaves. Before heading back, he sighted a shiny fruit not too far off. Wanting to grab it along with his collection, Sid made his way towards it. He reached out his furry arm until suddenly a large bell plant from where the "fruit" was dangling from suddenly shifted and faced its large jaw towards him.

In surprise, Sid landed his rump on the ground and screamed in horror. The plant leered towards him until it caught a strange scent. It looked as if it had olfactory senses as it neared and smelled the funky-smelling sloth. Gurgling in disgust, it quickly turned around in disinterest.

Sid got up, half-relieved yet half-insulted. "Now that's oddly rude," he said as he brushed the dirt of his fur. He retrieved his sack of food and went back through the foliage. It's slightly miraculous he found his way back.

When Sid popped out of the bushes, the three widened their eyes in surprise. They were just about to go in after him. "Bon appétit-u!" Sid said as he laid down the food in front of them.

"Woah!" Crash fell shocked at the amount of food in front of them. "For a second there, we thought that _you_ turned into food."

Peaches picked up a red pear-shaped fruit and inspected it. Judging it clean, she opted to take a bit before her uncle stopped her. "Wait princess! We're not sure if their safe to eat."

"How do we?" asked Sid. After a few moments, her uncles started looking at each other. They wore unwilling faces, realizing the only way to make sure they weren't poisoned. Eddie picked up a berry and with each millimeter he slowly jawed up towards the piece of fruit.

No longer wanting to wait for them, Peaches went ahead and took a bite. The three immediately turned their attention towards her. As she chewed, the sweet delicious flavor wrapped around her mouth and she flamboyantly beamed in delight. "It's delicious!" she hopped in place.

Eddie, surprised at her comment, became slightly more willing to take a bite. But it wouldn't be good not to at all, so he went ahead and sank his teeth into the soft berry. Crash watched his brother chew it in his mouth. Eddie did so slowly at first, then after a few moments, more willingly. It ended with him eating enthusiastically even.

"They _are _delicious!" he exclaimed, taking another bite not a moment too soon. Crash and Sid soon joined in. They happily dined in a delicious feast.

"Right after we eat," said Eddie midway in gorging another berry with his relatively small jaw, "We can keep going without any other problems."

"Aye aye," Crash said in agreement.

"Uncle Crash," Peaches chuckled while she pointed her trunk at his uncle's face. "You look like rabid animal." The possum had purple juice all over his fur. Crash quickly wiped it off with everyone laughing along. Sid could not help feeling the situation to be reminiscent of watching children.

He wondered if they could ever get back to how it was before. Sid was always the one relying on Manny and Diego, but with them gone the task of keeping Peaches safe falls on to him. The twins might actually be a better candidate for it, but he was determined to do his best to get the family back together.

* * *

**Looking back from now, when I think of Nia… **

**I think of nothing.**

**She is by far the blankest of the blank. Of all my OC, she is the most poorly written. Even Flik, who was abruptly added in, had better characterization. It was probably because I wasn't so familiar with characterization, and I was just starting out. Compared to Ryan, who I only envisioned as "mysterious", Nia was worse than static. She was like a ghost – an extra character that I just gave a name to. The only thing that ever gave her recognition was the consequences around her (which made her pitiful), but now I wanted to give a more distinct personality.**

**So, I made a complete overhaul of her. In fact, I should've just changed her name. I had no idea what I was thinking with that name. But I kept it since maybe one or two of my readers **_**might**_** remember her :P (although highly unlikely)**

**Also, there is Peaches. I had no idea what to expect for her character, and what I did before was make her meek and baby-ish. And I perceived her to be eight years old. I changed her age – made her younger even – and had her act more maturely and tough as how the Christmas special had shown.**


	5. Bedtime Stories

**Xion the Author: Did some quick fixes to the previous chapters. I forgot to add some descriptions for Ryan and Nia. If you check the original version, "Chapter 4: Certain Mammoth Issues" is the basis of this story's chapter 4 and 5. The original was long in itself, so in rewriting, I opted to divide it into two. Thus, also some chapter title changes. I am confident that people will love my back story for Ryan and Nia. The change might not have been so obvious in the first three chapters, but by now things we'll become very different.**

* * *

**Chapter V. Bedtime Stories**

A certain old wolf once told of a sad little story…

There inhabited many packs and herds of many animals at a place known as the Woodlands. To those who didn't know of this place, they could only refer to the place as the lands beyond Glacier Pass - as those who didn't know were those who wouldn't dare to cross into such hostile environment. You would hear the passing birds sing of songs beyond this land, from places like Half-Peak and Meltdown Valley. But no one would ever want to leave such a place. Or perhaps, would not want to leave to such a bitter cold place like the Ice Age.

And why, would you ask? Because they have set up their lives here.

Despite the cold name, plant-life has grown abundantly within this fertile land. Thus, many herbivorous species would herd and instead start a family here. Food was of no problem to them, and they could eat as much as they want in the comfort of the cold climate everyone was used to.

But of course, for a price.

Such with the population of living herbivores, carnivores as well has joined in the circle of life. Hunters like wolves and humans join in the hunt. Just recently, the aggressive sabertooths are gathering here as well. All is fair, and no fierce competition for food was needed. The numerous herbivores were in balance to the many packs and tribes of hunters. But despite the hunt for food, those thrived in those lives were at peace.

No one starved, but one would always desire to get most food out of little effort.

Wolf packs were smart. By day, they would scout and track all the nearby game. A group of three deer was preferred over a fat ox. And of course, they never preyed on the children. They thought of them more like "investments".

And it just so happened that on one day, two scouting troupes of different packs had met. In one group was a certain dashing male of pure gray fur, and in the other was a beautiful brown female wolf. And in their meeting, they felt a strange chemistry that just danced between their gaze.

They skipped their scouting trip together, disappearing from their packs. They fell in love. Their intertwining howls produced a sonorous song of passion and affection.

So it was that they disappeared from their packs, and they started a family together. They had one child - a boy - who shared most of his father's gray fur patched entirely on his back and on numerous portions to his belly. Brown seemed to be an undertone of his fur. He didn't look like any normal offspring of each pack had ever had, but to them he was the most beautiful creature they had ever seen in their lives. The greatest thing they had ever brought into this world.

But their little paradise was short lived. The packs had found out about them, and dragged together in a tribunal including both packs. The couple stood together, and the wolf cub below them was playing adoringly between without any awareness of the tension his parents were at.

And despite all their protests, the string of tradition always bit back. No matter how they bark, everyone's bite was much too painful. So it came between two decisions. One that they may leave together as they wish, but must kill their own child as retribution to the insult they made to their own packs; and the other, that the child may live if they separate and return to their packs. However, the latter included that the child be banished – not to live in either pack.

The parents could not bear to kill their own child – their sweet beloved. So they chose to separate, returning to their own packs. Never could they go back to each other.

The child was thrown out, alone. Treated as a stray, it might have been better to have killed him than to let him live alone in the world. But in secrecy, the parents met for one last time and took their child away.

In their time living together, they met a kind old wolf; a hermit who was sick of such traditional life that he opted to live away from any pack. He thrived alone, and in meeting the couple, taught them how to live. They pleaded he take in their child, as no one else would be there to take care of them. The hermit knew the parents well, and was very fond of them and their child. And he always wanted to have a child of his own during his youth. So he accepted.

But he warned them they must never attempt to see him again. To do so would only endanger him if their packs would ever find out. He promises to take good care of him, but the only way they can guarantee their safety is if he doesn't know them. He cannot know them, and they could only do but remember him.

Prepared despite such a horrible fate, they agreed. And the parents left him in his care. The old wolf raised the boy hoping that such a horrible fate need not happen, and that one they their family would be reunited.

But news came that the male had been killed in a hunting trip. And soon after, the female had died of grief and shock. If a child would ever lose both of his parents, the trauma would be too cruel. So, the old wolf carried the burden of sadness, in hopes to raise happiness and joy for the child.

Little bedtime stories were told to give children strength, and teach them value. When the old wolf was done telling his story, the small wolf cub that resided with him had already fallen asleep – perhaps even mid-way in the story. The old wolf gently kissed his forehead, wishing him goodnight. He feared that the child would one day realize who that small wolf cub was. He wished instead to raise him up into a man his parents would wish him to become.

But still, one day, he'd wake up from dreaming. So until then, he must teach him, with the hope that he will go to all he's meant to. But for tonight, the lesson is over.

* * *

Ryan observed the face formed in the rippling pond before him. The amber eyes that stared back at him. The thick scar the developed from above his right eyebrow, passing through the edge of his eyebrow and continued to ran across his nose, and down below his left eye. A lingering pain seared as he stared at it, as if it were still a fresh wound festering with a welling sick feeling inside of him.

He could feel a strange bitterness inside him, but could not point out what exactly it was. Frustration? Regret? Despair? A cold chill ran throughout his veins. He let out a loud grunt. Whatever it was, he felt it all source out in his scar. He could feel it throb in pain; a loud beating, thumping for an answer.

The wolf swished his brown tail over the water as he turned around. Inside him was an ocean of questions with answers waiting to be fished out the dark depths. An ocean… yes… he could still remember what an ocean was. Just cumulative amounts of events cut off in his head jumbled his memory. Anything connected to whatever memory was severed was blocked off as well.

The most recent memory he could vaguely recall was an earnest feeling. A place he didn't want to be late at. A meeting place - somewhere where the moon is nearest to the earth.

And the giant wall of lava-formed stone made things even more complicated. Nothing familiar was around him, and certainly the most prominent thing he'd remember would be that wall.

One particular step on the ground and the snow made a significant crunch under his paw. Even everything he stepped on was unfamiliar.

He let out a cold sigh. The white wonderland around him was definitely not home. "Maybe those two…" His two new compatriots were definitely planning to travel somewhere. Anywhere but here seemed liked the first place to start.

And with that, he followed his tracks through the snow and back to the encampment

Manny woke up with the dawn of the sun radiating in his eyes. He rubbed them gently with his trunk. He looked around to see that no one was around. He got up and there was no sign of either Diego or Ryan.

The mammoth wondered where they left off to. "Where did everyone go…?

"Hey Manny!" Diego called out. Manny turned to see him coming down from the rocky hill. "Was I gone too long?"

"I don't know. I just woke up." Manny answered when Diego was near enough. "Was Ryan with you?"

"Huh?" the sabertooth looked to see he wasn't anywhere. "He was still sleeping when I left."

"Maybe he's left. So much for showing gratitude." The mammoth snorted.

"Anyways, you won't like what I just saw," the tiger pressed in a serious tone. "The wall stretches out further than we expected. It keeps on going, all the way to-"

"-Glacier Pass." Manny finished in a fearful tone.

"That's right…" Diego let out a deep breath. "…all the way to the human settlements."

"And the other end?" Manny asked, hoping for a better resolution.

"Goes out as far as I could see the horizon," he answered. Diego looked towards Glacier Pass with cold paws. He was slightly unwilling to move out to a dangerous expedition. Regardless however of their inhibitions, Manny rose out with the final decision.

"Then we're going," Manny said.

"You sure about this pal?" Diego asked him.

The mammoth nodded firmly. "That's the quickest way back, isn't it? I'll get back to my family, no matter what it takes."

"Then I'm with you," Diego said with a confident grin. "They're my family just as much as yours." Manny bumped his trunk onto Diego's shoulder – a sign of appreciation and understanding without bearing an effeminate shame.

"Count me in too," A voice far off joined in to the conversation.

The two directed their attention to a wolf approaching them. "Ryan?" Diego said surprisingly. "We thought you've left."

"I just… took a walk to see if I could clear my head a bit…" Ryan explained keenly.

The sabertooth walked up to him, interested to find out anything. "Any luck remembering anything?"

"Nothing still, just – bits and pieces…" the wolf answered "So… can I come with?"

Diego gave Manny a complacent look, but Manny had a more than frustrated appearance. "Well, I don't see how-"

"No," Manny declared, stomping his hoof forward with the intent of leaving him behind.

"Wha- hey, Manny, wait!" The surprised tiger leapt up and chased after him. "What? What's wrong?"

"Everything! Everything's wrong!" the mammoth retorted with a fierce anger. "Everything's wrong, because of _him!" _

Diego quickly judged what everything was about. "Manny, we never could have known about the sudden cataclysm-"

"Yeah, but if we never would have went to help him, we'd all still be together." Manny, having started to let every bottled up emotion out, turned and faced Ryan. "If it weren't for you, I'd be spending time with my family right now. I would be there telling my sweet daughter good night, and I wouldn't have to be _here_ worrying about them constantly!"

The sullen wolf bowed his head down. In the current situation, he couldn't help feeling guilty and responsible. Manny turned and went about on his way.

Diego took a long deep breath and let it out with a grunt. He went up to his friend and stopped him from making a totally unnecessary mistake. "Manny, come on, you're better than this," he persuaded. "The one thing that sets you apart from every animal I've met is that you've put others before yourself. And I looked up to you on that."

Manny turned to face Diego, slightly flattered but wondering about why the sudden comment.

"Leaving him here won't do him any good. He's desperate." Diego continued when Manny remained unfazed. "We've helped him this far, and we might as well see through it till the end. The Manny I know always did that. You never stop short when you're helping someone."

Manny had calmed down, clearly persuaded by his words, but he was still bitter with frustration. "But… what about-"

"Ellie and the others will be fine," his friend told him, "luckily, they're safe. Right now, your daughter is probably waiting for his daddy to come home and tell her a bed time story." Diego glanced towards Ryan, dipping his head down in a bit of shame. "And besides, were gonna need all the company we can get in where we're going."

The mammoth remained silent for a moment. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Ryan stepped up and talked first. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. And, I'm sorry for any trouble I caused you guys. I understand if you blame me for what happened. If you do, then… so be it. But-" the wolf rose his amber eyes and spoke in a humbled tone.

"Please," he pleaded. "I'm begging you."

Manny was didn't know now how to react. But his usual self of never showing sensitivity or compassion left him with the kind of answer Diego and Sid always grinned to. "If you _slow_ us down-"

"I won't! I promise!" Ryan said quickly. Manny finally turned around with a clear conscience.

"All right then. Let's start moving out," the mammoth said as he leaded on in every waking journey. The wolf followed them behind, thankful but he kept silent.

Diego walked up to him, grinning with the answer Manny had given. "Don't bring it up," Manny quickly let out. But the sabertooth didn't stop grinning and even chuckled.

"You always were the softie," Diego jested.

"_You're _the one who talked me into it," Manny retorted. "I don't even know how we're supposed to be helping him."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," the sabertooth tiger answered. "For now, just think of him of a burden like Sid – minus the constant need for attention."

"I'm worried we might actually _need_ to pay attention to him," Manny said. "No telling if he suddenly forgets who we are."

Diego stopped in his tracks to see the wolf walking quietly behind them. Manny walked on ahead while Diego walked along beside Ryan and accompanied him. "You feelin' okay?" he asked.

"Uh… yeah," Ryan said with his head slightly bowed down. "Thank you, really, for everything."

"Aaaah, don't mention it. We do crazy stuff like this from time to time." Diego said to brighten up the mood. "And sorry about Manny. He could be a little… _edgy,_ from time to time."

Ryan still didn't feel any better. "I think the problem was me being too selfish. I'm really just a burden to you guys… maybe I shouldn't even be coming with you…"

"We all get a bit selfish from time to time, sure. And like I said, we do crazy stuff like this from time to time. Don't worry about it." He said to him. "But one good thing about our herd is that, despite every personal issue anyone has, it all comes down to being selfless to each other as a family."

Diego smiled at his previous comment. "Anyways, just relax kid, and you'll be fine."

And with that, Diego gestured him to hurry up. They made their way to quickly catch up with Manny a bit far off from them. Ryan couldn't help wondering how good their family is, and how good his own might be if he does have one.

* * *

The atmosphere was intoxicated with the innocent cheer of fun and playfulness. Amid the certainly dangerous world of carnivorous dinosaurs, everyone was bursting with laughter. They followed a slightly distinct animal trail for clear signs. Thankfully, they were yet to encounter anything possible dangerous.

Just a few minutes ago, they encountered in their trail a large pair of eyes glaring at them. When Sid fell down in fear and Peaches stood shaking, the twins bucked up and made a loud ruckus at it. The large pair of orange eyes folded away, revealing behind it a gigantic butterfly then flying into the air. The twins were doing well so far with impressing and protecting their little niece.

"Haha! Can't catch me!" one of the twins cried while running and jumping around. Peaches was "it" so far.

While Crash and Eddie were playing a short game of tag with Peaches while they progressed further, Sid lagged behind. He wasn't really good at playing that kind of game. But while he watched them beaming with happiness, the sloth held inside worried thoughts. So far, nothing potentially harmful came in their way, but Sid knew their luck would soon run out.

"…I really hope we find Buck soon," he said to himself. Unaware, he said it slightly too loud, alerting the others.

"It's good to find him as soon as possible," Crash said. "But we don't have to worry about it too much! We've been safe so far!"

"Yeah! Besides, if one of those dinosaurs ever come at our way, we'll turn them into prehistoric soup!" Eddie boasted.

Sid let out a sigh. There was no helping the twins' arrogance. He thought it was probably genetic, seeing as both of them have it, and he hopes it won't catch on to Peaches. If the others knew of about this, Manny would most likely disapprove of the fact that Sid would be responsible enough to take care of his daughter – even behind the twins.

But at looking at the little mammoth, Sid could not help marveling how happy she must be. She was always excited when she heard bed time stories of how a daring weasel would swoop down from a pterodactyl and launch a surprise attack on a herd of dinosaurs. Embellished stories they may be, it was always in the spirit of Buck – that crazy one eyed weasel.

Thinking of bedtime stories, he could not help thinking about those of his own that he told to her as well.

_The night back then was cold and unfriendly, as every winter night would be. But circled around a campfire and basking in the warmth of company and friends, the experience made the nights cozy and bearable. "Uncle Sid!" called out the tiny of ball of fur named Peaches. _

_Sid turned and went up to her. "What is it, dear? It's your bedtime." _

"_Can you please tell me another stwory about Buck?" she pleaded gleefully. _

_The sloth looked around to see everyone else was either sleeping or missing doing something else. The weight of telling her a story seemed to have fallen onto him. _

"_Well- I might not be good at telling stories…" Sid murmured, remembering a certain camping trip with the other children in the village. "Buut…" He thought maybe a story worth telling wouldn't be something whose truth would be too farfetched. _

_He settled with the best story he could tell and sat down beside Peaches. The little mammoth curled up beside him, eager to listen. _

"_Once, there was a lonely sloth," he began, "who lived under very strange circumstances… He was looking for a friend - just a friend, maybe one or two. But every person in the entire valley didn't like him."_

"_But one day, while looking for one, he fell through the ice – that's why you should_ _be careful where you walk, Princess – " When Sid added in the statement, Peaches could only nod fervently for the story to continue. "Anywho, he fell through the ice. He landed in a cold dark place of ice and snow under the ground. He thought maybe he could a find a friend there, so he did. But instead, he found three little things that changed his life in a way he couldn't imagine."_

_Manny had just arrived into the camp. But upon seeing and overhearing Sid from the distance, he took cover in the dark shades of a few tall pine trees. He listened in unbeknownst to them. _

"_Three giant eggs – that each was the size of a baby mammoth – he thought were abandoned in a cold dark place," the sloth continued; his admiring audience simply listening intently. "But that wasn't what he was looking for. He was looking for a friend. But then he thought, 'maybe these three didn't have any friends'. So, instead, he wanted to be theirs, and he took them away from the cold dark place." _

"_He carried them up, as much as he could, and into the light of day. He took care of them, as much as he could, despite what other people thought of it. Just three giant eggs who he thought no one would have cared for. But he was wrong – there was someone. And that was him. So long as someone needed him, he felt special enough."_

_Diego, who was lying on the ground seemingly asleep, peered through his right eye. It seems Peaches wasn't the only audience around after all. _

"_And through his love for them, the eggs unexpectedly hatched! And can you guess what came out of those large eggs?" Sid asked. Peaches took a careful thought, but couldn't really place it. "Dinosaurs." _

_The look of Peaches' face when she heard the word made her beam like the first ray of sunlight after a storm. She gasped as excitement bottled up and piled all over. She obviously hasn't heard Sid's side of the story in their adventures with Buck. _

"_Three little dinosaurs, he named Shelly, Eggbert, and Yolko. He was a sloth – practically considered lunch for them – but he cared and loved them as his own. And they in turn, loved him. He thought that they were all he could ask for." Sid said, smiling in the warmth of his memories. Perhaps Peaches was oblivious to the fact that that certain sloth was the same sloth she faced that night._

"_But then, suddenly!" Sid cried with suspense. "A humongous menacing dinosaur came into the valley, sending every animal hiding and quaking with fear! It scanned through the terrain with sharp eyes, as if searching for prey." The little mammoth leaned further towards Sid in the heat of suspense. "But it wasn't prey it was looking for."_

"_The sloth hid the three children from the giant dinosaur. But, the dinosaur found them, and there in front of her was what she was looking for – the three dinosaur children. With a menacing snarl, she leered at the sloth." _

"_And then what?" Peaches asked with curiosity. _

_Sid gently rubbed his hand over her head. "It turns out that those three eggs the sloth had found were hers all along! And what the big momma dinosaur wanted was that the sloth returns her children. But how could the sloth do that, when they were children to him too?"_

"_But in the end… the sloth let them go-" Sid said before Peaches suddenly cut in with a fit of disappointment._

"_Huh? Why?" Peaches interrogated. "He should've fought her for them!" _

_Sid grinned humorously. "The sloth was no Buck, oh no," he said, emphasizing 'no'. "It was the right thing to do. It wasn't his, even if it gave him so much happiness. But then, he realized," Sid quickly drew in a breath and let it out slowly, "that if he took them away from their mother, then he'd also be taking away her happiness."_

"_But then what about the sloth?" Peaches asked adoringly. "How would he be happy then?" _

_Sid once again gently rubbed his hand over her head. "There was more happiness in the world for him than just those three children. As it turns out, he had family all along. And, despite __**all**__ their differences, they made out to be the best family he could ever ask for. The end." _

_After the last two words, Peaches let out a loud yawn. "O-one more story…" she said sheepishly. _

_Ellie walked in from the dark snowy forest with two childish possums nested on her crown, sleeping soundly. Sid flushed embarrassingly."Peaches, that's enough stories for one night. It's time to go to bed." _

"_Awww…" she moaned. _

"_Did you tell her a bedtime story Sid?" Ellie asked him. _

"_Oh – yeah! Just the ushual, ya' know," the sloth bantered, glad that she hadn't heard him tell the story. _

"_I just hope this wouldn't get on her when she grows up…" Ellie said. "Well, goodnight." _

"_Goodnight," Sid said, standing up from a rock to get ready for bed as well. But as he walked away to a nice cozier spot, one of the others voiced out. _

"_You know, sometimes, I forget who's to blame for this big old mess we have," Manny trumpeted in. _

"_Wh- M-Manny!" Sid yelled in shock. "You- did you-" _

"_Every last word," Manny replied, not helping Sid's embarrassed expression. "To be honest, it was a really good story you told her." _

"_You think so?" Sid asked before wondering if that was the right question for the current situation. _

"_Yeah," the mammoth answered. "if it really wasn't for your big annoying attitude, I wouldn't- we wouldn't have anything of a family." _

"_I have to agree," the sabertooth voiced out as he got up from his sleeping spot. _

"_Diego! You're awake!" Sid said shockingly. _

"_I forget how thankful I should be for everything," Diego said, walking up to him. "So… thanks." _

"_I should be thankful too," Manny added. "Thanks Sid. I mean it." _

"_You guys…" the sloth said tearily before wiping his eyes. "Well… OF __**COURSE**__! After all, I am Sid, LORD OF THE-" _

"_Oooookay! I think it's time for everyone to go to bed," Diego said abruptly. _

"_Yep! Goodnight!" Manny said as he walked away hurriedly. _

"_Wha- H-hey guys!" _

Sid should know by now how much he really means to the herd. So if the responsibility for taking care of the Peaches ever fell on him, they would definitely trust him.

He looked ahead of him to see everyone else getting to a distance further. He rushed hurriedly towards them. "Hey guys! Wait up!"

* * *

**Xion the Author: Many revised scenes and dialogues. Actually, I think I did all of it. **

**I've learned recently never to actually directly relate the explanation of allusions and reasons to the reader. In some instances, it's called an insult to the intelligence of a reader because it's as if the writer doesn't believe that the reader wouldn't be able to interpret the text. **

**But the reason why I slightly added direct reasoning is because I haven't practiced enough or am not yet capable of putting words into text that would give the proper meaning. Someday, I'll write stories like that. But for now, please bare with my experimentations ^.^**


	6. Careful Planning

**Xion the Author: Wow, there's a LOT of ShiraxDiego fics. None of the new writers seem to have taken the jump towards something with more adventure though…**

**In this chapter, I made a huge epic fail. In the original version I replaced Chapter 5 with chapter 6 (or chapter 4) and I didn't keep any backup. Thus, this chapter is more of an add-in rather than a revision. I also update this to the missing chapter in the original.**

**Looking back at the previous chapters so far, I seem to have made a terrible mistake. I think I've revealed too early the plot concerning Ryan and Nia *facepalm*. At least how their plot ends won't be anything cliché, so anticipate surprise. **

**Also, since Peaches' age has been readjusted, so is Roshan's – much realistically. In my other story, Roshan was the age of a young adult, and the amount of years for that to happen would be too unrealistic in contrast to everyone else's age.**

* * *

_**Chapter VI. Careful Planning**_

Scoot was walking around all buffed and his muscle showing. Scratte was ogling at him and her heart beat erratically with each flexing muscle; she was clearly attracted to the male.

Scrat was caught between watching three things at the same time: Scratte, _his_ acorn, and Scoot. He squinted angrily at the buffed up squirrel-rat hybrid. Just who was that person? Although he knew that he and Scratte would never get along no matter what happened, he couldn't help getting jealous in the situation.

Half of him wanted his nut, and his other half wanting to take out his jealousy at Scoot If he sneaked up right now, he could snatch the acorn away with Scratte distracted. But he couldn't help wanting to do _something_ about Scoot, like an innate male characteristic to act on jealousy despite understanding.

But then he thought, why not do both?

And as Scoot walked away and Scratte followed behind, Scrat also stealthily (as much as he could) followed in pursuit while plotting down the perfect plan.

* * *

Smoke trails fogged up the air from freshly put out campfires. Looking up, you could distinctly see up to five or six gray lines of smoke coming up from the ground. Any smart woodland creature would know to stay away from the gathering of smoke. To their sharp sensitive noses they could smell skinned-up hides of what could have been an old friend turned into clothing or a piece of tent cloth.

That human settlement was only one of many – and perhaps even the largest. But, if you'd ask any of the burrow-living animals nearby, they'd tell you that this place was relatively safer than anywhere else.

In a large pitched-up tent, centered in the middle of all the other tents, a human child sat outside trying to overhear conversation from inside. The child hat brown hair and his brown eyes looked in the opposite direction as he leaned his ear towards the tent. From what he could hear, it seemed that humans could communicate with each other, although all you'd hear would be grunts and yelps. And yet, the child – no more than ten years of age – listened keenly as if something important was being discussed.

"This is a problem, my brothers," a rough brown haired male discussed as he scratched his bristly chin. A gathering of village elders and close friends sat beside each other. "However, we must address it no matter what."

"It is humiliating; of all the creatures in the world, humans would become the most savage beasts," the shaman lady added in, "To have to kill their own kind…"

"It must be done. I see no other resolution to this." The man who spoke seemed one of high position. The strap of designed cloth that dangled from one end of his shoulder to the other must mean that he was the leader of their pack.

"Even so Runar, it pains me deeply that we cannot settle this peacefully," the shaman replied.

The man beside Runar stood up on his two feet. "These men know no peace. They slaughter animals as if they were mere game – nothing but dirt for our feet to kick and step on. You said it yourself, that if this continued, the balance between mortals and spirits would collapse!"

The shaman lady did not spoke back. Runar stood and placed his hand over the man's shoulder, gesturing him to calm and sit down.

"I wish there _were_ another way. I do not want to resolve this by endangering my own tribe," the tribe leader said.

"I do not think there would be any difficulty for our hunters to fight another man," one of the elders said.

"Indeed! This is not the first we have ever competed with another tribe," another spoke out. The boy outside the tent leaned further to get hear better their conversation. He was very careful in adjusting himself – perhaps it was not his first time eavesdropping.

"This is a different matter," Runar dictated. "Our hunters are trained to hunt – not to kill. We track and capture prey, but never throw a spear at another's face. Even if we were to decide to wipe off the barbaric tribes, I doubt we would not have losses."

"Then its best we plan ahead," the man beside him said. "We must act without thought. We hardly know the capabilities of these barbarians"

"What do you propose, brother?" the leader asked.

"For now, it is best we see how many they are. How they move, how they act – we must study them the same way we do with gazelles and sabers." The man stood up from the cloth mat. "I will scout ahead."

"Alone? That's foolishness!" one of the elders blurted.

"Yes. It is faster, and much quieter. We must not ignore that these men know how to track as much as we do," he answered.

"Nalkul," Runar called out his name. "Are you sure about this?"

The man scoffed with confidence. "I am the best tracker in the village. No one else rivals my skill."

"Then so be it. I also know that no one else rivals your confidence," Runar jested. "When do you plan to leave?"

"Perhaps at midnight," Nalkul replied. "I would like to at least tell my wife of my plans before leaving."

"Then so be it," the tribe leader said. "We shall see you off then."

"With your permission, tribe leader," Nalkul said as he walked out of the tent. The outside welcomed him with fresh air and pine-scented breeze. The sunny sky made it seem like his decision was nothing close to reality.

Before taking even a few steps away, something caught his eye near the tent. When it tried to run away, Nalkul rushed up and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "Roshan!" he yelled. He turned him around to face him and let go of his shirt. "What did I tell you about not eavesdropping?"

"I'm the tribe leader's son! I should at least know what's going on!" he retorted. "My dad won't tell me a thing – and stop acting like him!"

"You are the future leader of this tribe. Very soon, you will take your father's place, and I do not want you to go off treating serious business as childish adventures." Roshan simply pouted at the statement. Nalkul grunted and started walking away.

"H-hey, Uncle!" Roshan called out. "You're leaving tonight, right?"

"There is nothing escaping your ears, is there?" Nalkul commented as Roshan walked alongside him.

"I want to come with!"

Nalkul immediately cut him off. "Absolutely not. It's too dangerous!"

"But you're the best tracker in the village!" the boy said. "If I'll be the tribe leader in the future, don't you think I should learn from the best?"

His uncle rubbed his palm over his forehead and shook his head. _Where did he get such an attitude. _"

Nalkul let out a deep sigh. "You are my sister's only child. You are all that I have to remember her by, and I do not want to be the cause of any harm that would come to you."

The boy frowned and bowed his head. Nalkul placed his hand over the boy's head and ruffled his hair. "Besides, your father would not approve of it." The older man walked away once again, to the direction of his family's tent. The little boy, so eager to prove himself, could only sigh helplessly.

* * *

Barret leapt from one branch to another, jumping from tree to tree. Ellie watched him swing like a miniature Tarzan. At one particular point, a branch broke in half, leaving him dangling by one hand. Thankfully, due to his lightweight form, he pulled himself and acted as if nothing happened.

The next incident occurred with him coming in contact with a seemingly helpless caterpillar. He was about to pick it up when suddenly it lashed back at him with horrendously large fangs. Barret drew back instantly and the 'caterpillar' slithered away like a snake. Wanting to move away, he went back to jumping along.

At every tree, he picked up specimens of bark and leaves while audibly muttering to himself. On landing on a certain branch, he plucked off a leaf and inspected it against the light refracting from the ceiling of ice and rock that covered the world.

"Wha' are you doin', mate?" Buck asked, curious to his little brother's odd behavior.

"Studying the plant life. Many of these are species that no longer exist within our own world and I'd like to discern why," the white weasel replied. He took a small nibble to one particularly large leaf and chewed tediously. "Hmm… I appear to have no symptoms, so this must mean that this is edible. But why-"

"We don't have time to stop just so you could take a theoretical study of everything you see," Ellie said frustratingly.

"Mammoth is right, mate," Buck said. "Ya know we're in kaind of a hurry."

"You're one to talk," Barret retorted. "We passed by two dinosaurs a while ago and you took your sweet time wrangling them and enjoying yourself."

"They were potentially dangerous!" the brown elder weasel retorted back. "They might 'ave chewed you fer lunch if I wouldn't round them up!"

The white weasel dropped the piece of leaf. "I'm just saying that you could've done it a LOT faster and simpler," Barret explained. His peripheral vision caught sight of a small dinosaur right ahead of their trail, loitering mindlessly. "Like this, for example."

Barret leapt off his branch and towards the neighboring trees in direction of the small dinosaur. "Barret, wha' are you doin'!" Buck called out.

"Something a _wee_ bit smart!" he shouted back.

Buck and Ellie let out a deep sigh. "This we gotta see," they both uttered as they followed.

The coelophysis tottered mindlessly around the ground, sniffing for something. Its hollow ear caught a plopping sound dropping nearby. It turned its head, jittering left and right in wonder of what the object that fell was. It approached the object slowly before Barret, standing from above on the branch of a tree, whistled in queue.

The small dinosaur shrieked excitedly at the sight of flesh. It dashed towards him, and with a well time leap Barret snagged an end of a rope and the lasso he dropped moments ago had hoisted the poor dinosaur into dangling in the air.

The white weasel landed on the ground and tied the other end of the rope around the tree as the others went up to him. He wore a proud grin as he walked the trail ahead of the others. "And _that's_, ho w you do it," Barret boasted, clapping the dust off his hands. "With careful timing and precision."

"Bwuh," Buck immediately retorted. "Oh come on! A reptile dat tainy, with a mind hardly any different than this mammoth's brothers? Hardly any challenge!"

Barret rolled his eyes before turning around. "Look, all I'm trying to point out is that we don't need to be "eager" in jumping in to things. There's a good plan for everything."

"Pssh, but where's the fun?" his brother debated. "Where's the excitement? The adrenaline **rush?" **

"You're missing the point-!"

"Guys!" Ellie cut in to their argument, causing a total silence in which they could only hear was the coelophysis struggling to get off his entrapment. The coelophysis was made to stop when Ellie trumpeted in an frustrated tantrum. "We don't have the time to be talking about this! If you guys want to bicker like little children, you can do it in your own time. Because while we're here talking to each other about _this, _my family is in danger of giant dinosaurs and every other mammal-eating creatures!"

Buck and Barret gave each other an angered look before facing opposite ways. "Fine! If you wanna do it your way, then get eaten for all I care!" Barret argued.

"Faine! I've done this for over ten years, mate! You've NO idea how many time I've almost been eaten – and that doesn't count the times I was nearly _digested!" _The two walked with the large mammoth between them. Ellie shook her head troublesomely.

"Is this their way for making up lost time?" Ellie told to herself. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let all her frustration out in one single breath. But by the time she opened her eyes, Buck immediately shouted at the top of his lungs.

"**Stop!**" he cried. Ellie halted in mid-stride as she opened her eyes to reveal a large rushing of dinosaurs passing in front of them, running mindlessly in a state of panic. The trees surrounding the trail were crushed down in a series of hooves and stomping.

"What's going on?" Barret inquired worriedly.

"Stampede. It's happenin' everywhere," the one-eyed weasel explained. "Must be cuz' of the 'arthquake. They're all terrified and confused. We're lucky they ain't walking this way."

They watched the continuous series of four-legged dinosaurs rushing in front of them. After a few more seconds, they finally clear up as they leave a trail of prints and dust clouds. In the last set of dinosaurs behind the stampede, it reveals to them that they were not only running straight ahead, but have also diverted to the fork in front of them. And behind them, they also leave embedded prints of hooves in the mud and dirt.

"Well, there ends our trail," Buck said depressingly as his tracking expertise could not help them in this kind of incident.

"What should we do now?" Ellie asked frantically.

"Relax now mammoth, no need to panic," the weasel said. "Just calm down. These two trails eventually meet up into one. Although – there might be some complications…"

"_What_ complications?" the mammoth demanded to know.

"Well…" Buck picked up a stick and began drawing on the mud. "The left path would take us to the _Labyrinth of Doom_." In visualization, it showed a large labyrinth covered entirely in a thick fog. A distinct hiss echoes as something dark slithers by at the entrance. "Some folks would worry more about finding the way through the maze – others would worry about not getting eaten."

"Then, we have the one to the right that would take us to the _Marsh of Demise_." In visualization, it showed a dark barren place with an eerie setting of hollow dead trees with a green mist dispersed through the land. "Now the smell and the atmosphere are absolutely horrid! But then again, you'd better take notice on where you're stepping on instead…"

Ellie stood worriedly. "Was this supposed to calm me down, or make me more frightened by what my family might just encounter?"

"Wasn't really trying to do either, but if you leave it to someone else, we might pick a wrong choice," Buck said.

Barret, taking offense on whom that "someone else" in particular Buck was pertaining to, stepped up into the scene. "Oh? Gee, what would _you_ choose then?" he asked.

"I'd take the right trail," the one-eyed weasel answered. "It's the shortest route, so if we ever end up taking the wrong path, we might at least be able to catch up with the others by going back to the other. Wouldn't you agree, weasel with 'the plan'?"

The white weasel grimaced at him with an irritated face. "Why yes, it think _it's_ the best choice too. Let's go then."

"Then let's _go_," Buck replied irately.

The two weasel walked on ahead as Ellie was still not in good terms with their decision. "H-hey! Guys, stop! Wait!" But the two were too preoccupied with arguing with each other that she couldn't catch their attention. Not wanting to stay away from their trusted guide, the mammoth could only follow.

"Please be safe…"

* * *

"_Ryan… you know we shouldn't be seeing each other. If my dad saw us together-" _

"_Relax! He's not gonna find out– "_

"_That's what worries me the most. What if he __**does**__?"_

"_Come on, we only see each other so often. Besides, he won't notice you missing for an hour or so…" _

"_Ryan…"_

"_Just for today, trust me. You won't regret it Nia…"_

"Nia…"

"What? Did you say something?" Diego asked Ryan, who was staring blankly at the mesmerizing white snow they were stepping on.

"Huh? Oh- uh, no it's nothing." Ryan said, who was suddenly pondering about the word that had just popped right into his head.

After a concerned look, Diego turned his head forward. Their surroundings were the ever desolate Half Peak, a gathering of tall rocks arching and bent towards a center. Haunting memories reverberated in his head. Diego could not shake it off. The cold chilling wind, the frosty snow – everything seemed like a reminder of the worst things he had in life.

But were things really that bad?

He had to admit, he wasn't exactly "suffering" back in the days. There was hardly anything to complain about. They hunted as a group, tracking down game in secrecy as they launched themselves on prey whenever they needed. There was the occasional fighting for a bigger piece of meat, but either way, he was fed most of the time and rarely starved.

Now, he had to hunt on his own. Some days he'd get lucky, some days he wouldn't. But the pain of a single night of starvation was hardly noticeable. But with the company of friends and family, surrounding a nice cozy campfire centered around them, made the cold nights slightly much bearable.

Maybe if it hadn't come to it – if it hadn't come to Manny and Sid's lives being endangered, he might not have turned his back on the pack. If he got the baby first, he might not have needed to make the biggest change of his life. He might still be with his pack, traveling around, hunting and scavenging.

_But, then again, there it was. It happened. No point regretting it. _

At the sight of Half Peak, he could almost see the ghost of his old pack leader, haunting the very place of his death. The icicles that impaled him on the ground – the gentle chiming that broke into knives that pierced into him – it seemed like a lucky break. Remembering the death of his pack leader, he could closely remember that he had also neared his own that very day.

But he survived. What made him strive to live began with one simply thought.

"_I want to say goodbye to Pinky…" _

And, with a cringing amount of pain, he struggled through it. Stepping through the chilly blistering winds, he faced through it all. And, with a moment almost too soon, he gave the child one last "where's the baby."

Half Peak was now behind them. Diego didn't even bother looking back. No point latching on to ghosts of the past. You'll turn into one soon enough anyways. Right now, you're alive, so mingle with the living instead.

Diego turned his attention to Manny. The mammoth was also in a bit of turmoil. "Hey, buddy," he called out. "You okay there?"

"Y-yeah, yeah I am," Manny replied. "Just… thinking about what we went through before and all…"

"Me too, but... we've got bigger things to worry about." Diego raised a cheerful smile. Manny could see he was in amicable terms with everything.

"Right, yeah," Manny muttered, before showing a lighter attitude. "Hey, Diego?"

"What is it, bud?" the sabertooth asked.

"Thanks," Manny said.

Diego raised an eyebrow in wonder. "What for?"

"Just… thanks." The mammoth said, not wanting to add anything else. Diego had a clear idea of what he was thanking for anyways.

"No problem."

The wolf behind the pair looked out to the horizon. A few more steps and they would reach a meeting of two glaciers facing each other with pointed tips. It must be what they call Glacier Pass. The large wall of rock gradually became smaller – becoming noticeably three-fourths the size when they first saw it form in front of them.

The gang looked at each other. Manny and Diego had never been there – nor would they ever.

Human settlements would be everywhere, and that was just all that they knew about. Even birds wouldn't migrate and fly into here. They had no other idea what they might come up against by the time they would pass through it.

But it came to a point where they were now standing on the other side of what seemed like an entrance to another world – something akin to what they've seen in the world of the dinosaurs. Slightly bucking up and preparing themselves, they passed through with a brave front.

"No matter what it takes…" Manny muttered to himself. As he stared at the long ice corridor, he could not help having odd nostalgic visions.

However, with one large hoof forward, they knew that their journey had just begun.

* * *

Peaches looked behind her, alerted by the sudden sound of rumbling. Upon noticing the sudden wave of rampaging dinosaurs, she yelled out instantly at the top of her voice. "Guys, watch out!"

The others are alerted immediately and they jump to the side of the trail and watch the stampede pass by as they hide within the thick bushes. While the others blindly watched the cascade of different dinosaurs rushing in to the scene, Peaches took note of the way ahead. Far off in the distance was what looked like an entrance made of two strange rock formations. Surrounding it was a thick white fog, obstructing any view of what's inside.

Peaches narrowed her eyes to check carefully and was proven right. The stampede of dinosaurs – despite the panic they were in – was careful to avoid rushing into the thickly fogged entrance and they ran away in different random directions.

When the rampaging stampede had finally subsided, Crash and Eddie popped out into the open to make sure the coast was clear. "What was that about?" Eddie mentioned.

As Sid walked out of the bush, he turned his head around to see Peaches slightly disturbed. "Peaches?" the sloth asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh…? Oh, yeah yeah I'm fine Uncle Sid," she answered. Her attention remained unfazed at the white foggy entrance. When she began to walk out the bush and ahead of them, they all soon noticed it as well.

"Woah," said Sid, the twins, and Peaches as they saw the path in front covered with a thick white fog. The temperature was slightly lower – not so compared back home but was distinctly different from this world's temperate climate. Sid suddenly turned back when the twins grabbed his tail and pulled him back. As lucky as they still were not turning into dinner for any dinosaur just yet, Sid had no plans of turning into one.

"Maybe we should head back," Sid said. "It feels slightly… ominous…"

Peaches nodded in agreement. "It really feels kinda dangerous… I don't like it either."

Crash and Eddie, their usual stupor acting up, suddenly brought out a brave front. "We won't find Buck if we go back now." Crash told them.

"Yeah! Besides, we could use some of the adventure that this place has to offer!" Eddie joined in.

"You really think we should go through this place?" asked Sid.

The possum brothers simply raised a confident grin. "We're here to look for Buck remember? Don't be a scaredy cat!" said Crash. "Think of it like a white out."

"Just follow our lead Peaches and you'll be fine," Eddie said as they moved in they maintained their gutsy spirit. But Sid knew them enough to notice the slight difference in the swinging of their tails. Usually, they'd care-freely sway it around, but it looked tense despite the look on their faces. Knowing them, they were just as scared as he was.

"Okay everyone; grab hold of your buddy…" Sid said as he hurriedly went up ahead of them instead and led the charge. Peaches was already holding onto his short tail and followed after. Crash and Eddie, with their expressions hidden behind the other two, finally let loose their slight fear and grabbed hold of Peaches' tail.

As the thick fog covered the way almost entirely, they blindly walked ahead without knowing of the terrifying creature that lurked within…

* * *

The trail around them suddenly becomes a gathering of large amounts of plantain. Ellie pressed her hoof down to feel the ground become more moist and soft. The large trail soon became narrow path between trees and bushes. Buck led forward and cut down plants in front of them.

As they traversed through, a distinctly thin green smog was covering around them.

"Ugh, what's with that foul smell?" Barret blurted.

"Ssh!" Buck immediately hushed. "I almost forgot – we gotta keep quiet while we walk through he'ah"

"What – why?" Ellie whispered, toning down her voice.

"We don't wanna wake the things tha' 're snoozin' right now," Buck explained. "They could hardly care if an 'arthquake 'appened. They'd still be asleep. They'd only wake up tah _eat_."

"You mention this now? I don't think I'm one for being quiet," Ellie mentioned as she raised her right hoof.

"We'll be fine, trust me," Barret assured. "Just – try to keep your ankles light."

"What ankles?" Buck added in as a joke. Ellie grunted before they finally started to move into the thick of the marsh.

The small ponds ahead of them were dark-colored and bubbling with a foul smell – enough to make you wonder what made this place so appealing to the dinosaurs who resided here. The dirt they walked on seemed desolate and barren, and the plant life other than thriving fungi and giant spores were all but decrepit.

"You should stay on your toes too, little bro. Who knows when you'd just randomly trip."

The white weasel immediately flushed red in embarrassment. "D-don't bring that up! I'm not a kid anymore!"

Ellie quickly shushed him down. Thankfully, nothing seemed to be alerted. "Really?" Buck taunted. "I don't really see how you're all grown up. You're just the same ol' snotty lil' weasel who couldn't go to the woods all alone by himself."

Again, Barret was filled with embarrassment. But, due to the circumstances, he decided to ignore him the best he could. He didn't want to risk having to accidentally raise his voice. If not for the situation, he'd pick up the best retort he had against him.

When his little brother didn't make any reply, Buck scoffed. "_That'll teach 'im", _he grimaced in his head. A cold space still gapped between them. Ellie couldn't cut in as she was too busy trying not to make noise herself. The rigid atmosphere – excluding the fact that there were other things breathing around them – made Ellie finally worry about their own welfare besides her daughter's first.

All she could do now was trust in Buck.

* * *

**Xion the Author: I seem to be replacing a drastic amount of content – much further than I thought which seems to be taking up my time. Many of the scenes including Barret will drastically change to fit his personality. I only mean to rewrite them into better grammatical quality (but I still make typos here and there). **

**I also want to make Peaches have a better personality than the cute innocent type I portrayed in the original version. I want to reflect more her character as what has been shown in the Christmas special and in Ice Age 4.**


End file.
